The Life of Rose: How it Came to Be
by Cablevision
Summary: You follow Rose in her journey to avenge her family. A new door opens up as she meets a General in the last Human Resistance, in which she learns a great deal about a force to be reckoned with. Chapters 1 through 9 are edited. 14 coming soon. Please R&R.
1. Chapter 1

_**Chapter 1**__: The Early Years_

Times were hard during the ancient Wingly reign. Mothers, fathers, sons, daughters, brothers and sisters were torn from their families and sold into slavery and oppression. Thousands upon thousands of humans were forced to build large cities for the Winglies. These cities, built on the backs of thousands and stained with the blood of many are the only unnatural wonders of the world. All 106 of the 108 species born from the Divine Tree(Winglies themselves and Dragons not included) were captured and used to the liking of the Winglies, or just smothered out of existence before life was even breathed into them. All species were starved, set up against each other, and then forced to fight battles to the death just to survive. The human's morale was low and they could not overcome the Winglies abilities. The Winglies are a species that are extremely adept in magic. The Winglies are a special race, for their magic abilities allowed them to rule over others, kill all who opposed, and stop the greatest killer of all species of all the worlds in the universe... time. Their resistance to age, immortality, made them like gods in their own little kingdom built upon blood. They believed Soa, the Creator of Endiness himself, could not stand up to the superior race of Endiness, the Winglies. Winglies, with their magic, could make their cities float. They thought the gods themselves couldn't do such a thing, so they thought themselves as higher, superior beings. As did the humans... their souls were broken and, therefore, so was their will to fight against the inevitable, a Wingly based world, where no species but the Winglies themselves will rule and all other species extinguished.

Only one species could stand up to the Winglies magic powers. This species was so aggressive, a small group could fend off an army of Wingly soldiers. Their magic power could not be matched by any other species other than the Winglies. The Dragon's size and magic is an incredible combination. Some Dragons have lived for over 12,000 years. If their magic is powerful enough, they can live up to 20,000 years. Although Dragons are the counter answer to the Winglies domination, they take no side. Dragons only think for themselves and can't make a compromise. Their intelligence level is low and would even attack another Dragon if it started any sign of a fight. The Dragons could not be controlled by physical means. Their spirit must be crushed. A Dragon's spirit is a legendary thing. It is said not to exist, for they are so unintelligent, they have no personality, they just know how to fight. But the fact that they could not be broken made the Winglies think otherwise. Maybe the Dragons had a spirit that burns so brightly, that even they could not distinguish it. The Winglies left the Dragons alone, hopefully to become less of a threat. But the Winglies hoped that the Dragons wouldn't mean their downfall. They hoped that no human could have the soul of a Dragon, the extreme determination for justice and survival. The soul of a Dragon and the intelligence of a human are a deadly combination. One that may even surpass the Winglies... even Soa...

Before the reign of Winglies, all creatures lived in peace with one another. They were late bloomers from the Divine Tree, which is believed to be the will of the Divine Tree. The power of the Divine Tree waxes and wanes with the planet's moon, and it loses its ability to hold back some of the dangerous creatures willed to live by Soa. Soa is a merciful Divine Being but if any wrongs were done, the first thought that crosses his mind is punishment. The creatures believe that the Winglies were the will of Soa and his personal world security. The Winglies rebelled against the gods, the brothers and sisters of Soa, and became the controllers of the precious world. In the time before the Winglies, all was tranquil. This is where our story begins. The lands were not divided among classes of humans. No countries existed and people lived on their own. A young blacksmith named Dion married a young woman named Katherine and lived in a small cabin in the land that is now Nissel. Born from their love was a strong young boy who they called Auton. Auton would grow up to be seven years-old before his parents had a daughter.

"Any minute now," said Dion to his son. "You should have a new brother or sister by tonight."

"I can't wait!" the boy said in excitement.

The midwife came out of the room with a distraught look on her face. Dion noticed her expression.

"There's something wrong... isn't there?" asked the worried man.

"I'm afraid so. She is having problems. The baby is in distress and I can't do anything about it until she is ready to give birth," the Midwife said, averting her gaze.

"There's nothing you can do?" he asked hopelessly.

"We'll have to wait," she said at last.

Long hours passed as the Midwife tried her best to calm Katherine. Outside the room, Dion and Auton await the news, anxious feelings rushing through them, fidgeting, thinking. The midwife walks briskly out of the room holding a small blanket. Dion stands up quickly and runs over to the midwife.

"I have the baby... she's perfectly fine. But..." the Midwife began. "Katherine didn't make it."

"What!" he exclaimed in disbelief.

"I'm sorry... I did all I could do..." after saying so, she held out her hand, holding a pouch. "She said to give you this..."

The midwife handed him the pouch and he opened it. He looked back at the midwife and she shrugged. He took the baby from her and turned to Auton. He knelt down next to him and pulled the blanket aside, exposing a small face.

"Meet your new sister, Auton," the father said showing his son the new baby girl. "This is Rose..."

Rose was a strong young girl. She had long, flowing, oil black hair and in the sun, even had a hint of purple. Her eyes were a dark purple color and always attracted compliments. She was put through a lot of hardship. Her brother, Auton, was very sore towards her for taking his beloved mother away from him, even 5 years after the death when he turned twelve. Her father never paid as much attention to her as he did her brother. He always helped him do his work, learn to fight and carry on their lives outdoors, but always found the time to relax and hold onto the little green velvet pouch. Rose always thought about what could in the pouch. She thought it must have been something of her mother's. Rose never met her mother. She always wondered what she looked like or how things would be if she were here with her. How would she be treated if her mother were there? Anything would be better than this, she would think. Her father made her do difficult activities when she was young. Five years-old was not a good age to be working, especially for a young girl.

As she did the work, her father would teach her brother how to survive in the wild and how to fight. Dion taught him amazing techniques with all sorts of weapons. It amazed her how much her father knew about the martial arts and how to fight with such things. He was a blacksmith, she figured, they have to know how to use what they make. She always paid close attention to her brother's lessons. She would steal a small dagger from her father's weapon cache and practice the techniques her brother learned that day. From all the days she watched them practice, she became almost as good as they were. They never noticed how well she was doing just by watching and eavesdropping on her brother's lessons. She not only learned how to fight, but also how to live in the wilderness. How to hunt was the first lesson she learned. Building homes and temporary shelters and fires came next. She learned enough that she felt she could live on her own one day, when she was older.

Her brother wasn't always mean to her. Sometimes, he was even nice. He would take her to the city every once in a while. Cities were rare in this day and age. Thousands of people living in an enclosed place seemed dangerous and attracted predators, but it had a sense of order and security. Armor clad soldiers with specially made weapons made by Dion himself lined the streets and guarded the gates into the city. Her brother always gave her a little money to spend on things she wanted. Although 5 gold pieces weren't very much, she had been saving for the past few weeks and saved up enough for a ribbon she had been wanting for a long time.

"Here's your money," Auton said, handing her the share of gold. "Don't wander off. Stay where I can see you."

"I will," she said obediently.

She always intended on following his rules but always seemed to become distracted and lost in the crowd. She quickly ran to the store and looked around for the new ribbon. She picked out a really dark, purple velvet ribbon and brought it to the vendor. She looked at Rose and noticed her eyes.

"You have some nice eyes there, young lady," the Vendor complimented. "I bet you hear that all the time."

"Yes, I do actually," Rose said blushing.

"Will that be all, dearie?" the Vendor asked.

"Yes, thank you," she said with a smile.

Rose took the ribbon and put it in her hair. She always wore bows in her hair and wouldn't go anywhere without something in her hair for decoration. She wore them everyday even though her father and brother never noticed or appreciated it. Buying ribbons wasn't the only reason Rose visited the city. She loves to see the city, the huge buildings, the large crowds of people. It gives her a thrill that there is something more than her small cabin in the middle of nowhere. After her exploration of the city, she walked back to the main square. She searched for her brother, but he was nowhere in sight. This had never happened before, so she began to worry. She looked around, but still couldn't see her brother. She looked over in an alley and saw someone kneeling. She walked over to the alley and peered into it. She saw a small commotion, a man hitting another surly man in the face.

"I need the MONEY!" a large man shouted after pummeling the poor bum again.

"I don't have it!" he shouted in reply, trying to prevent further injury. "You keep taking all my money and I don't have enough to get back into business!"

"I don't care!" the man yelled. "I need it or it's my head!"

Rose took a step back and knocked into a stack of empty bottles. The large man looked to the source of the sound only to notice the young Rose standing there with wide eyes. The large man dropped the poor victim and approached her, standing over her.

"You have been watching this whole time, haven't you?" the large man said with an evil grin on his oversized face.

"Er... no. No," Rose said in a panic. "I was just leaving!"

The large man lunged at her and dragged her into the alley by her hair. Rose fought back with her nails and teeth, but the man had a firm grip that a small girl could not break. The man brought her deeper into the alley, dropping her on the ground next to the ragged bum. The victim took this opportunity and fled from the alley, screaming for help. Suddenly, the man collapsed holding his side in pain, a sea of red pouring from just beneath his ribs. She looked into the face of a man who she knew all too well. Auton was holding a dagger covered in blood, standing over the unconscious body of the sorry excuse for a man. Rose was overcome with emotion and began to cry. She ran to Auton, grabbed onto his shirt and cried into it. He knelt down and hugged her tightly to ease her fear.

"I told you not to wander off..." he said to her.

"I'm sorry!" Rose said sincerely, tears pouring down her face.

"Let's go home," Auton said, standing and tugging her.

They both left the alley and headed for home with today's sales and purchases. When they reached the cabin, they gave their father the money and items to continue his work. He went through everything, checking the items off a list he made in his head. After he finished searching the items, he asked how their day had been.

"So, anything interesting happen?" Dion asked while marking something down on a sheet of paper.

Rose looked at Auton, knowing she would get in trouble for what had happened earlier that day. Auton looked back at her and then looked at his father.

"Nothing interesting. Just the boring trading assignments you gave me," Auton said with a quick smirk to Rose.

Rose looked at him with a shocked expression. This is the first time he had stood up for her and even kept a secret for her. She was astonished but hid her feelings and looked at her father.

"Alright... well, back to work," their father said, not seeming to notice their little exchange.

Auton left the room and headed outside to collect wood to cook the evening meal. Dion walked over to his smelting equipment and dropped a small sapphire into the hot liquid. The liquid turned a light blue and began to harden. As it hardened, Dion poured the mixture into a mold and put the mold in cold water. Steam shot up in big clouds and filled the room with the smell of hot metal. The mold set and he opened it up to reveal a saber with a light blue tint in the blade. He worked it into shape, hammering it, heating and cooling in succession. Finally, he polished it, fashioned it with a blood red hilt and it was a finished product. He placed it on a shelf on the wall and sat down in his chair and began to caress the green velvet pouch. He opened it a little to reveal a small red shine, not too bright, but enough to catch a child's attention. Rose walked over to her father and sat down in front of him. She felt a warm radiance come from the pouch and she stared into the red glow. Dion, noticing his daughter's gaze, closed and placed it in his pocket. Rose wondered more than ever what was in the pouch. Never in her life had she had the ability to ask her father anything about her mother. But today, she felt as if she had become part of the family.

"Daddy... what is that?" she asked curiously.

"This?" he asked questioningly, pointing to his breast pocket.

"Yes... I see you holding it all the time and I was wondering... what is it?"

"This... is a burden..." he clutched his pocket bitterly. "It will never be anything more than a burden."

"A... burden?" she asked, tilting her head.

"Yes... this will never concern you so there is no need to know what it is."

"Can I at least see what's inside?" she asked hopefully.

Dion looked from Rose to his pocket and back to Rose again. He sighed, removed the pouch from his breast pocket and opened it. The pouch held a small red orb, about the size of a large pebble. This red orb glistened in the firelight that was radiating from the fireplace, sending a range of reddish lights onto the wall behind them. The orb was perfectly round and the redness was deep and solemn. Warmth radiated from it like it was filled with a permanent flame. It was not perfectly red, however. It had a small darker red spot that looked like a small slit or a cat's eye. She stared at it with awe and couldn't take her eyes from it. She gaze followed it as her father put it back in the pouch and replaced it in his pocket. She looked disappointed when he put it away, pouting her lips. Dion got up from his chair and walked toward her. He patted her on the head and walked away. Before he went into his bedroom he turned around.

"I like the new ribbon," he said smiling.

It took her a few seconds to realize that he had complimented her. She touched the top of her head and realized she still had the ribbon in her hair. Before she could open her mouth to say her thanks, he walked into his room and shut the door.

Rose couldn't stop thinking about the red orb. She spent all the hours she had free thinking about it. It was quite a change from wondering what was in it in the first place. Her heart, she thought, it must be mother's heart. Now that Rose has the feeling of being a member of the family, she decided to do something nice for them. She took some rope and a wagon and went into the woods to collect wood for a fire tonight. Auton always found wood nearer to the cabin but she couldn't find any fallen branches. She ventured further and further into the woods until the cabin was out of sight and her father's sounding hammer was out of earshot. She walked farther away from the cabin and realized how far she had gone when she reached the small creek about five miles away from home. I can't believe how far I traveled, she thought. I better get home. Before she returned home, she grabbed as much wood as the wagon would carry and headed back to the cabin. She was about three miles from home when she noticed some animals that had fled from nests she knew to be around her cabin. That's odd, she thought. These animals always stay around our home. Two hours later, she was a mile away from home and she caught a smell of smoldering wood. They must have a fire already going, she thought. I guess we can use this wood for tomorrow.

As she approached her home, she noticed a lot of smoke in the woods. More than a simple bonfire could create. As she got closer, the smoke got thicker and she began to worry. She walked faster toward the cabin and eventually left all the wood and ran toward her home. The smoke was so thick, she couldn't see. When she reached the clearing, her jaw dropped and she fell to her knees. What she had been trying to return to was not there. The cabin was burnt to a crisp and was almost completely gone. There were still small fires burning and the smoke was still rising into the blue sky. Rose stayed there, soaking in as much as her mind could take at one time. Something struck her and she stood up quickly and ran over to the burnt cabin. She looked around and saw two corpses on the ground, burnt to charcoal. She ran over to them and looked down on them. Weapons were in hand and looked like they didn't even have a chance. Limbs were missing from the bodies and large gashes could be seen in the flesh. Her knees buckled and she fell to the ground. Her mind was racing. Who could have done this, she thought. The information seemed to be waiting for a good time to sink in and seemed to have gone into her brain all at once. At last, she realized what had happened. She couldn't contain her emotions anymore and they were released in shrieks and tears. Rivers of tears ran down her face in a constant stream and fell onto the bodies where they were soaked in by the dried, burnt flesh. She continued to cry uncontrollably and couldn't get a grip on herself. She knew she had to get up but her body wouldn't respond. She began to think of what her brother would say to her if he saw her like this.

"You crybaby!" her vision of Auton yelled. "I can't believe you are like this! We didn't raise you so you could cry your eyes out!"

She thought of how her father would react if he saw her like this. It already made her stomach lurch and threw up her last meal at the thought of it.

"Rose!" the Dion image urged. "Get up! You can't be like this! Your mother didn't die to keep you alive just so you could cry! Get up girl!"

As if she had heard her father's real voice, she caught a grip on her emotions and pulled them in to see them no more. She looked down at her father's burnt corpse. She looked at it, as if wondering why he left her. She noticed something clenched in his fist. She put her hand on her father's burnt fist and pulled it open, each finger being torn from its former position. The hand crumpled away into ash and she sat there with handfuls of her father's skin and bones clenched in her hand. She couldn't hold back her emotions again, but fought hard not to cry. She succeeded but her stomach was not a strong. She threw up again off to the side and wiped her mouth. She continued to open her father's burnt hand and finally found what was in his fist. She grabbed the small, green, velvet pouch and the small red orb that resided inside. She opened it and overturned the pouch and let the orb fall into her hand. It emitted a small glow and warmth radiated from it. She looked at it for what seemed to be forever, but she quickly came to her senses and put it back in the pouch. She took her new ribbon she had bought and put the pouch on it. She looked at the rest of the scene and saw her father next to the blue saber she saw him create the day she asked him about the green pouch. She grabbed it and wrapped it in the ribbon and searched the rest of the wreckage. Nothing of hers was left. Everything was either destroyed or taken. Who could have done this, she asked herself. She fled to the edge of the clearing and looked at the wreckage as a whole. It looked as if someone had come for no reason at all... just to kill... She knew that if that were the case, she couldn't stay there long.

She ran from the clearing, blue saber in hand along with the green pouch, and headed for the nearest city, Caldera. It was a forty mile hike and would take days for her. It was getting late and she decided to set up camp. She was glad that she had paid attention to her brother's lessons and learned how to do this. She collected wood and small branches and some large leaves. She set up a fire with the wood and made sure it stayed lit. She put the branches together with ripped bark and put the leaves in it to fashion a small bed. She then took the pouch and put it on around her neck. She grabbed the blue saber and went out to find some food. As she approached a small tree, she found a small bird's nest with a dozen eggs in it. How convenient, she thought. She grabbed all of the eggs and put them in a sack. She walked back to camp, grabbed a flat rock and some more sticks. She propped the rock up with the stick and let the rock get hot over the fire. She cracked some eggs onto the rock and watched them cook.

"I don't know what to do... I... can't... what should I do?" Rose asked herself.

Her fire burned resiliently and the eggs cooked quickly. She took the eggs off the rock and ate them quickly. She laid herself back in her poorly fashioned bed and looked up at the dark velvet sky.

"How am I going to survive? Why did they have to die!" she said, worried about her existence.

Rose felt her emotions surfacing again but she quickly grabbed onto them and dragged them under again. She felt worse than she had before and knew of no remedy for it. She thought and thought of how she will live without her family. Her brother was her protector and her father provided for her. She would have to do both things for herself now at the ripe early of five.

"I want to get back at their killers..." said Rose suddenly. "I don't know how... how to find them... but when I do... I will kill them... kill them all!"

Rose thought more until her mind was completely exhausted. She closed her eyes for mere seconds and fell asleep just as quickly. She woke up early, before sunrise, and stomped out the remaining embers of her fire. She grabbed her small bed, her saber, the green pouch and the rest of the eggs and set off for Caldera again. She thought more as she walked. Time passed quickly and she wasn't getting very far in the time she wanted to. The eggs weren't going to last very long. She had eight left and won't last for another two days if she ate all three meals. She decided to skip the midday meal which would allow her to reach Caldera the day her last eggs are used. She set up camp again at nightfall. She set up another fire and cooked more eggs. She decided that she would practice her skills with a saber for she had never used one before now. It was a longer sword, not intended for her and a little too heavy. She thought that if she used it enough, it would get lighter over time. She went over basic forms she had seen her father do and remembered them step for step. She would slash repeatedly with the saber, following the form perfectly. When the eggs were done, she stopped and ate her small meal. She went to bed shortly after. She awoke the next morning and continued her walk to Caldera. The time passed faster and faster. Before she knew it, she had two eggs left and she was in the third day into her journey to Caldera. That morning, she made the last of her eggs. She quickened the pace and noticed the trees were beginning to thin out. She sped up the hill and reached a point where no trees were in sight. She reached the top of a hill and looked down below the base to see Caldera at the bottom. She rushes to the bottom quickly. By the time she reached Caldera, night had fallen and Rose was tired. She reached the gates and the guards stopped her.

"What are you doing here? Don't you have a family to go home to?" the decorated guard asked.

"I think I've seen you before," the other guard said, rubbing his chin with his thumb and forefinger. "You're Dion's daughter, right?"

"Dion? The blacksmith?" asked the decorated guard with surprise. "So you're his daughter. What brings you here?"

Rose opened her mouth to say something but nothing came out. The guards looked at her with a puzzled look on their faces. Rose then felt dizzy and collapsed. The guards screamed for help and she blacked out.

...:Seven Years Later:...

"HEY! GET BACK HERE! THIEF!" a lone shopkeeper yelled, running after a child.

Running through the streets and stepping through puddles from a recent rainstorm, Rose hurried into a network of alleyways to escape her pursuers. Ever since she arrived in Caldera seven years ago, she had to rely on thievery to live. She ran through the last alleyway and entered the slums where she lived with two other homeless children. She is the provider for these kids and their only hope. As she entered the small shack, the children welcome her back. She dropped her provisions and went through it. She was lucky this time, she thought, meat, bread, and cheese is hard to carry all at once for three people. She split it up evenly among them and they ate until they couldn't eat anymore. Rose placed her blue tinted saber on her cot and loosened the pouch from around her neck for a few minutes. For a small orb, it is very heavy after some time wearing it. It can double in weight sometimes and it can become a real burden. She ate quickly and laid herself down in her cot. The two children are the same age she was when she first came to Caldera. A twelve year-old providing for two five year-olds made her notice what her father really did for her and her brother before they were murdered. She never realized how much work it really was.

She sat up on her cot and the boys showed her what they picked today from passing tourists. These things were the only ways to provide any form of income for them. When they aren't stealing, they are selling. They steal on certain days so they don't create suspicion when they are discovered at the scene of the crime every time it happens. They usually accumulate enough money to pay for their food for a few days. Some shopkeepers are nice enough to give them the food and let them take it without paying. But usually, those shopkeepers are rarely seen and don't come for whole months at a time. Rose steals or buys food twice a day. Sometimes a third when the harvests are about to end and they need to hoard their food supply. After they went through their pickings for today, they set them on a blanket and carried them to the streets. The items usually go quickly because the people don't like seeing starving children selling useless items for money just to live. Sometimes they slip more money onto the sheet just so they could have a little more. After they sold the items and got a total of eighteen gold pieces, they went to a different store and bought new clothes because the ones they had now were getting ragged. When they returned to their shack with their new clothes, there is a ruckus inside. Some other homeless people from the slums had moved into their small home. Rose entered and the intruders looked at her.

"I guess honor amongst thieves doesn't exist here, does it?" She asked sarcastically.

"We need a house. What are you gonna do about it? You can take ours." The eldest boy said with a wry grin.

"Yours was blown down in the rainstorm!" Rose shouted. "Go back and fix it. You can't take our house!"

"We can... and we just did."

Rose unsheathed her saber and the children backed away. The older boy took out a sword that he stole from a bandit that had passed through recently. The boy charges Rose and she swung her powerful blue saber. There is a small clang as if the blades had barely touched. Rose sheathed her saber and the boy's sword is split in two from point to hilt. The boy ran from the shack with the rest of the children he forced in and they reclaimed their small home. Rose never suspected the saber would be so powerful when she took it from the wreckage seven years ago. She remembered the small sapphire jewel that was put in the mixture for the sword and admired it for its color. But also, she must take into account that Dion had made all the weapons for the soldiers in Caldera and they still stand strong to this day. Her saber must be special because she noticed that Dion never put jewels directly into the blades of other swords. She truly admired the blood red hilt that complimented the blue blade. She had been trying to decide on a name for the blade but nothing had come to mind. She had grown fond to a word that she heard a storyteller say one evening. The word "evenfall" means evening. Whenever she heard it, it sent chills up her spine, like it has significance in her choices somewhat. She later decided to call her blade Evenfall. The blue color applies perfectly to the meaning, she thought. Intruders stole homes from other homeless families all the time. But no one would be ignorant enough to take a home from Rose. She already knew what it was like to lose a home and she vowed never to lose another.

Early that night, Rose lay on her cot looking at the ceiling. The children were outside playing their games and escaping their harsh reality. She was thinking of new routes to use when she stole the food. Using the same route would make them wise to my plans and even lead them here, she thought. She drew a map in her mind and marked her previous routes. She doesn't have to use new alleys, just a different combination each day. She thought of all the alleys she had used and what order they were in. She finished thinking of her route and decided to walk them out so she didn't forget. She left the rundown shack and headed through the network of alleyways to the main street. When she approached the main street, she noticed a crowd of people flocking to the side paths along the road. She wove her way through the web of people and reached the edge of the street. Everyone began to cheer towards the gate. The deafening cheers paved the way for a large, gold plated chariot. A tall, handsome man in red silver armor was in it and waved to the crowd. The crowd cheered again and the man continued past. As he passed Rose, he caught sight of her and stared as he continued down the street. She looked back at him as he went by and felt rage pass through her. She watched him until she couldn't see beyond the heads of the crowd.

She went back into the alleyways and emerged further down the road. She wove her way through the crowd again and came out ahead of the chariot. She continued to look at the man as he came closer. He waved again and the crowd burst into a frenzy of excited people. He looked over the crowd and his eyes fixed on Rose once more. He was dumbfounded to see her again and he quickly averted his gaze. She continued to look at him until he was out of sight. She again went through the alleyways and came out at the end of the main road. She saw the man get off his chariot and head into the City Hall building of Caldera. She watched the man's guardians pull up on horses and wagons and head inside. Some remained outside and fraternized with the guards of Caldera. Rose approached the building, wanting to go in. She looked around and noticed no one was watching so she approached the doors and pushed them open slowly so they wouldn't squeak. She entered quickly and grabbed the door and slowly let it down so it wouldn't slam. Her guile was improving. She could sneak into shops without the shopkeepers noticing and leave just as secretively. If she was ever caught, she would use those dark purple eyes and bat a few eyelashes. Worked like a charm, she would say after every time she had been caught. Although it wasn't often, it was handy to have the advantage of her unusual eyes.

She crept past the guards stationed at the big double doors and searched for a way into the courts. She ducked behind a set of pillars and looked around. She noticed a vent on the floor that led into the courtroom. She looked around and ducked behind another pillar. She grabbed the grating and pulled as hard as she could. The grating came loose and she propped it up against the wall and entered the courtroom.

"... happy you are here," catching the end of the Judge's sentence.

"I'm glad to be here," said the unknown man, smiling. "I have traveled a long time."

"I can imagine," the Judge said, pacing. "We are very far from other cities. The closest one is over 300 miles away. It doesn't help that it's also over a mountain range."

"It may be far, but I wouldn't pass up an opportunity to see an old friend," said the man sincerely.

"I'm glad for that. So, how are things going on the war front?" the Judge inquired.

"_War!_" Rose breathed.

"The winged creatures have taken many villages and towns," said the man discouragingly. "The cities still stand, but at this rate, they could fall by the end of next year. It only took them eight years to build up a force and another seven to attack. It could take us well over ten years just to mobilize."

"_Seven years!_" the words sounded resolutely in her mind.

"Could this be the end of us?" the Judge asked, crestfallen.

"It could be... But I won't let it happen," said the man, beginning to pace himself. "The people will live their normal lives when I'm through with these strange creatures."

"I'm guessing you'll want this then..." the Judge asks, moving toward a wooden box on his desk.

The Judge took out a large golden scepter with all sorts of jewels and gems in the head. Rose quickly went through the gems to count up its value. It had twelve rubies, six emeralds, four sapphires, two diamonds and a large amber all in concentric circles wrapping around to the top. Rose could easily have stolen that and she and the children could be fed for the rest of their lives.

"It's the Scepter you wanted made," said the Judge, holding it out to the man. "We never had a chance to give it to you because you were never here. Our greatest blacksmith made it, before he was murdered by those wretched creatures."

"_Those creatures... murdered him!_" Rose thought, welling with rage and confusion.

"It's a shame a man with such a talent for molding metal had to perish..." the man said closing his eyes. "We could have used him. And the sword?"

"It was never found," he said shaking his head.

"Yet another shame," he sighed.

"We have the reports you requested from us," taking out a roll of parchment. "The creatures are closing in around us and we are outnumbered ten to one. What should we do?"

"Ten to one you say?" the man asked, surprised. "Evacuate."

"But... wha... Aren't you being a little too hasty!"

"We have been outnumbered two to one and still lost. No, I'm not being too hasty."

"Well... I shall give the order," the Judge hanging his head.

"I'm glad you are more cooperative than the other Judges I have met with."

"They don't know you like I do."

"And the very same reason why you should evacuate," said the man with a smile.

"I understand," the Judge nodded.

Rose listened to the conversation until its end. The man left the courtroom and she followed along, quietly. The man went into a tent that was set up hours before by his guards. She hid behind the tent and sat near the ropes that tied the tent down. I have to go for scepter, she thought, it's mine by right. She snuck into the tent and walked behind an armoire and ducked, looking for the man and the scepter. She looked over to the bed and saw it propped up against the wall of the tent. She can't see the man and suspected that he had left the tent. She stood up and walked over to the scepter and took hold of it. As soon as her hand touched it, she heard a voice from behind her and she turned toward the flaps of the tent.

"It's wrong to steal," the unknown man stated.

"Right back at you," Rose said with a grimace.

"I've never stolen anything," said the man, staring at Rose, sizing her up. "You, on the other hand..."

"What do you know!"

"I know that you were in the courtroom while I was meeting with the Judge," the man said smirking. "You heard everything, did you not?"

"I did. And this scepter–"

"That scepter is mine," he interrupted. "I paid for it and it is rightfully mine."

"It is rightfully MINE!" Rose said in anger. "My father made this and it belongs to me!"

"Your father?" he questioned, eyes widening. "Your father was Di–?"

Before the man could finish his sentence, Rose had unsheathed Evenfall and charged him. The man pulled out his sword and blocked her blow. Rose jumped back and slashed again. The man jumped out of the tent and she followed. The soldiers see her chasing the man and they run after her.

"Stop! Leave her to me," the man ordered.

The soldiers stopped their charge and formed a circle around Rose and the man. Rose charged again, blade glinting in the moonlight. The man blocked her strike again. She wailed on him and blow for blow, he would block each and every strike. After fifteen minutes of fighting, the man had not attacked once. She never gave up and continued to slash and strike. Eventually she slashed with all her strength and she cut his sword halfway through. Her sword was wedged in his and she couldn't break free from it. He looked at her face up close, for the first time. Her eyes burned with a fury that he had not seen before. He knew the emotion she was feeling. It was mixture of hatred, anger, sadness, love, and the lust for vengeance all at once. He looked at her eyes through her furrowed brow. She knew he was drawn to her eyes and she began to look back, paying close attention to any sign of his next movement.

"Nice eyes," he said with a smirk.

She her brow furrowed and she pushed down with all her strength. Suddenly, she felt the load on her arms lessen. She watched as he wrenched his blade free of hers, breaking his own blade in half. Her blade fell to the ground and as soon as she heard the clang of the piece of his sword hitting the stone street, she felt the cold steel of his blade against her neck. She swallowed heavily and he looked at her.

"You're too aggressive," he said definitively. "You let your anger take over your judgement. You must remember that anger dulls the blade. Movement is just as important as strength, you must have figured that out by now. You left an opening and I took it, even if I had to sacrifice my blade for it. Other than that, your form was perfect. I have nev–"

Rose quickly batted his blade away with lightning speed, recovered her blade, sliced his arm and backed away. She felt the steel cut her a little and a small amount of blood dripped down her neck.

"You left and opening and I took it, even if I had to sacrifice my neck for it," she goaded, raising her blade again.

The man cracked a wide smile. He began to laugh and he threw away his broken blade.

"I like your style," he admitted. "And you're very experienced. You learned from a real master. Dion must have taught you well."

"He didn't teach me," she said, dropping her guard. "I taught myself."

"That's amazing!" he exclaimed. "Just seeing a form and you can copy it better than the person who showed you! You have a real talent! I bet if we sparred again, you would emerge victorious."

"What's your point?" she asked, now getting irritated.

"I want you to join us. Join our caravan. You can learn to fight and become one of our greatest generals!"

"General? Aren't those positions for... men?"

"Well, yes, but you are better than any man that I have ever fought. Plus, your endless potential can prove extremely useful."

"But... I watch children here and take care of them. Without me, they wouldn't last very long," Rose said worrying.

"Don't worry! We'll take care of them! Please join us!" the man insisted, gesturing toward the soldiers who were still surrounding them.

Rose thought for a short time and thought of the repercussions. They seemed better than what would happen during the evacuation.

"I agree. But on one condition," she said, putting up one finger.

"Name it," he said, victory already spread across his face.

"The children get put in with a nice family that will take care of them."

"It's done. We leave tomorrow. I will give you the night to say your goodbyes. We leave early so get here at sunrise."

The man walked toward his tent and opened the flap. He walked in halfway, hesitated, and walked out again to say something.

"Oh, and by the way," he started. "My name is Diaz. Nice to meet you," an even bigger smile stretched across his face.


	2. Chapter 2

_**Chapter 2**__: Journey to Calgary_

Rose wove her way through the network of alleyways towards her rundown shack where the children await her return. Her mind raced with her thoughts of glory and greatness and what she could do for the world against an army of winged creatures. But she eventually grew tired of thinking and pushed her thoughts from her mind. When she reached the shack, the children greeted her and she knelt down to speak with them. She told them everything, about what had happened earlier that evening, about how they will be adopted by a nice family, about Diaz. She told them that she would be leaving them so she could travel with him to the war front and hopefully fight against the opposing force. The children worried and begged her not to leave them but she waved her hand through the air and they quickly stopped their plea. She told them that their lives were going to be better than the horrible life they lived now. Their eyes began to tear and they grabbed onto her. She said she would stay with them during the night but she would not see them in the morning. The three of them went into their home and laid themselves in their cots for some rest.

The children slept while Rose thought more. What will I learn from this Diaz, she thought, that he thinks I will do better than anyone else in his army? She thought and thought until her head hurt. She tried to close her eyes but as soon as she felt sleep coming on, thoughts rushed into her head again. She would reach for the sleep she longed for but couldn't grasp it. She sat up in her cot and looked at the children. She watched as their chests moved up and down with each life giving breath. Her eyes wandered throughout the shack and rested upon the shoddily made window. She noticed the moon was beginning to fall and the sky was slightly brighter. She threw off her sheets, packed them in a knapsack along with all the trinkets the children had given her and all her clothes. She tied the green pouch around her neck and tied Evenfall to her waste. She moved the cloth that draped over the door aside and stepped out. She took a few steps back and looked at the shack. She realized that she was leaving a home she has had longer than her first home and that she was walking away from memories that she may never see again. She raised her courage and turned away from the shack and made her way through the alleyways. Each one she remembered a certain characteristic that assured she would never get lost. She arrived at the main road and saw the horses were being tethered and prepared for the long journey on which they were about to embark. She saw the tent was being wrapped up and that Diaz was standing near his own horse, a white Clydesdale with a symbol of a large reptile tattooed upon its forehead. She approached him and he seemed surprised to see her.

"You're here early!" he yelled happily.

"So is everyone else..." she said, lifting her eyebrow.

"Good point... So, are you ready to leave?"

"Are you?"

"No, but I wanted to know whether you straightened everything out with the children you had been taking care of?"

"Of course I did. I wouldn't leave them without an explanation. If I did that, they would never forgive me."

"Well, I hope so. You may never return to this place."

"I suppose... where are we headed?"

"Our destination is Calgary. It's beyond the mountain range and on the northern shore of the Lake of Calgary."

"Is it far?"

"Very far," he said, falling into thought. "It would be like going to Bale from here."

"Bale!"

Bale was one of the only remaining human cities in the Western lands. The winged creatures closed in around the humans and Bale was the only city that actually survived their initial strikes. It's also home to one of the strongest armies in all of Endiness.

"Yeah, it's that far," he confirmed while tying a rope. "But at least it gives us the time to train you."

"What will I learn?" she asked with excitement.

"What WON'T you learn?"

"Are you trying to be funny?"

"Yes... not working is it?"

Diaz smiled at her and turned to a soldier who approached. The soldier looked very timid and his helmet was much too big for his head. His lance was in his hand as he walked briskly over to Diaz. He reached Diaz but dropped his lance and the wooden handle hit Rose in the head. Rose grabbed her head in pain and rubbed where it hit furiously. The soldier grabbed his weapon quickly and apologized repeatedly to Rose.

"Be careful with that! That can really hurt people!" Diaz said, sudden anger flaring up in him.

Rose looked at Diaz as if he had said the biggest understatement in the entire world. She continued to rub her head until the pain ebbed. She looked at the soldier with anger and the soldier recoiled slightly at the sight of her.

"Uh... sir we are r-ready to g-go," he stammered, peeking nervously at the irritable Rose.

"Good," Diaz patted him on the shoulder. "We shall leave in ten minutes. And loosen up a little. We won't be in battle for a while."

"Yessir," the soldier said as he stumbled away.

The soldier walked away and Diaz led Rose over to a carriage. The carriage was an ebony color with cloth over the doors. Diaz held the cloth open and signaled her to get in. She stepped into the carriage saw some red satin seats that can easily double as a bed. After she sat in the seat, Diaz let himself in and sat opposite her. Diaz took out a map and a quill and showed Rose what their route was. They must travel 300 miles to the Klain Mountain Range and another 400 miles to the southern shore of Calgary Lake. It's then a three day boat trip to Calgary.

"This will take months!" Rose said dumbfounded.

"Which is why we are leaving so early today," said Diaz with a joking smirk.

"Still trying to be funny?"

"I am funny, you just have no sense of humor!"

Rose sneered at Diaz's smiling face and the carriage began to move. Rose looked out the small window and saw people beginning to fill the streets with their possessions for the impending evacuation. She heard a loud creaking and she looked ahead of the carriage and noticed that the large wooden gate had opened. As the carriage left the city of Caldera, she could see people waving at the leaving soldiers. The soldiers smiled and enjoyed their minute of fame. Those few minutes they got when they entered a new city was all they had, for they knew that when the time came, they would have to give their lives for the entire human race. It was a heavy burden they carried but they carried it all the same. Rose looked down at her feet as the carriage rocked back and forth with the clip-clopping of the horses' hooves. She couldn't help thinking about the children and how they were adopted by their new family. As if Diaz had read her mind, he calmly told her that the children were fine and with a rather wealthy family who couldn't have children of their own. Rose's spirit lifted as if something heavy had been taken off her shoulders. She looked down at her feet again and noticed a small golden nugget. She bent down to pick it up and the green velvet pouch fell out of her shirt and hung from neck and she quickly put it back in her shirt. But it was too late. Diaz had already begun his sentence and Rose let out a sigh.

"What's that?" Diaz asked curiously.

"Er... what?" Rose responded with a fake chuckle.

"That pouch around your neck. What is it?"

"It's..." words quickly passed through her mind and she settled on one. "A memento..."

"Of Dion?"

Rose's stomach lurched at the sound of his name. She immediately had flashbacks to the day she found him murdered along with her brother. She walked over to his burnt corpse and took in the stench of burning flesh. She had a sour taste in the back of her throat and- Rose returned to the carriage and noticed that she was on her seat with her head in her knees and rocking back and forth. She looked up at Diaz who was calmly looking back at her. He then began to speak.

"I know how you must feel," he began. "Your father was killed, was he not? I read the report. He was our finest weapons specialist we had at the time... maybe even ever! He made all our weapons and even created some of his own. And this scepter he made for me was a gift. I sought him out and gave him a job. This is how he was even able to support you and your brother. He was forever grateful. But when he was murdered, we got reports of two bodies. We did not know of a third, you. We assumed you were living somewhere nearby or even dead."

"Why did you ask me to come with you?" she asked at last.

"What!"

Diaz was taken aback and surprised at her question. He quickly regained his posture and answered her question calmly without much thought.

"You are our key."

Rose, stunned by his answer, didn't understand what he meant by "key." She was determined to find out what he meant, no matter how many questions she had to ask.

"What do you mean by 'key'? You're not making much sense," she said, again raising her eyebrow.

"It means exactly how it sounds."

"But how does it sound?"

"How do you hear it?"

"How do YOU hear it?"

"That depends on what is being said."

Rose was beginning to become frustrated with his roundabout answers and was starting to show some anger. She slapped her forehead with her palm, leaving a red mark on her brow. Her questions were becoming harsher in tone as well as getting her further away from the answer.

"Why can't you give me a straight answer!" Rose yelled at last.

"If I did, you wouldn't understand," Diaz stated confidently.

"But I don't understand now!"

"Which is why I won't confuse you any further."

Rose, hitting her peak in frustration, jumped out of the carriage and began to walk beside it. She crossed her arms and furrowed her brow, the palm mark becoming more prominent. Diaz poked his head out the carriage door and looked at her.

"You're going to get tired if you walk!" he said with his usual joking tone.

"Go away!" Rose shouted.

"You will be too tired to walk tomorrow if you walk today!"

"I said, 'Go away!'"

"You'll have to come back in sooner or later!"

"GO AWAY!"

Diaz pulled his head back into the carriage and giggled slightly. Rose couldn't believe how annoyed she was. This was her first day traveling with him and she already couldn't take him. He was very immature for his age which surprised her. He was supposed to be the leader of this platoon of men and he was almost like a child. But she thought of what he had said yesterday, about how she could be one of their greatest generals and at such a young age. It goes to show that age doesn't matter, but experience. Rose has experienced much more than any child her age and generation. She has even taken care of children, something some will never do. Rose looked up at a female soldier who was slowing down to let her catch up. She turned to talk to her.

"You shouldn't let the captain get to you. He does this to all of us," she said with an all too familiar irritation.

"Is he a jerk to all of you, too?" Rose asked, feeling her eye twitch just thinking about it.

"Yep..." she replied frankly.

"Well, at least I'm not left out."

"That's the spirit. You eventually learn to forgive him. He's just doing it to make it better for us."

"Why's that?"

"Hasn't he told you?" The female soldier turned to look around so no one else would hear. "We're the traveling platoon. We go straight to the front line of battles when it is called for."

"Front line!" Rose shouted in shock.

"Yeah, we have the worst job in the whole human army. Go figure you get stuck with us, eh? What rotten luck!"

"Yeah... rotten luck..."

Rose didn't know what to say to her. These soldiers not only have to give their lives for the humans at home but also for the humans in battle as well. They were the reinforcements and the only hope for failing platoons. The soldier continued to speak to her and she thought onward, responding with nods and cliché lines. She looked up at the sky, the sun was high in the sky and the soldiers were about to stop for a rest and a warm meal. The next town wasn't far off. It was a small town named Attucks. The only reason this town was even founded was because it was next to an odd mountain. This mountain was an oddity that no one could explain. The mountain was 300 miles away from the Klain Mountain Range and was almost as tall as the tallest mountain in the range itself. An oddity of the world seemed to be a great spot for tourists and pilgrims so they founded Attucks at its base. We should reach the town by nightfall, she thought.

The soldiers handed out soup cups and started up fires. They quickly poured ingredients into large pots and heated them up. The meal was dished out as quickly as it was prepared. Each soldier lined up and was given a ladle full of soup. Rose inspected the soup and saw a strange choice of spices and mixtures of meats and vegetables that probably would taste horrible together. She took a gulp and her tongue burned with heat and disgust. She threw the cup away and grabbed a bow and a satchel of arrows left behind by a soldier. She wandered into the woods, making sure not to wander out too far. She saw several deer grazing in a small clearing about eighty feet ahead of her. She quickly knocked several arrows and lined them up horizontally and pulled back the string. She released the string sending the arrows whistling through the air and striking five deer. Two arrows missed completely but she had managed to kill five deer in one fell swoop, which was a new record for her. She dragged two of the deer back to the caravan of soldiers that were eating their soup as quickly as possible, not enjoying a single bite. A group of soldiers looked towards the tree line and saw Rose dragging the two deer out of the woods. They ran over quickly to help her and she told them about the remaining deer. They returned carrying the deer and dragged them back to the caravan. Diaz exited his carriage and walked toward the soup pot. He grabbed a cup and the ladle and ladled some soup. He heard a group of soldiers shouting with joy and walked toward all the commotion.

"Ok, guys what's going–" he halted.

Diaz looked at the pile of deer and looked to each of the soldiers. They all shook their heads as he looked at them and they signaled toward Rose. Rose ripped the arrows from the carcasses and placed them back in the satchel. Diaz didn't ask questions, which made Rose grateful. He signaled the chefs to take the deer, salt them up and prepare them for their evening meal that night. The men rejoiced and praised Rose for her fine catch. This was their first fresh meal in a long time. Rose neither wanted nor accepted their praise for she was only thinking of herself and her needs, something she hadn't done in years. Later that day, the soldiers set up camp just outside the town borders of Attucks at the base of mountain. The deer were prepared and cooked over an open flame. The aroma of the cooking deer made their mouths water as it did her own. As the food was passed out, Rose sat upon a log that was a remnant of a fallen tree. Diaz came over to her with his cut of deer and sat beside her. He ate in silence for several minutes before he decided to speak.

"It was a good thing you did... with all this food that is."

"It was really nothing," she replied, taking a large bite of meat.

"You know, some of the recruits were sore about you coming along with us," he began, placing his cooked meat down. "It wasn't that you weren't accepted by a board of higher ranks, but the fact that you are younger and maybe promoted quicker than they may ever dream. But because you did this for them, they have come to accept you."

"I was doing it for myself, really," she admitted without emotion. "I wouldn't be able to eat the crap you all have been eating for months."

"Haha, I can understand what you mean. I was getting sick of it myself. None of us have any actual cooking experience. We just think, 'If it's in there and it tastes good, there shouldn't be a problem.' But boy, were we wrong. Put all our stuff together and we get sludge."

For the first time, Diaz had actually made Rose laugh. Diaz grinned as if he had achieved something that had seemed almost unachievable.

"I know I asked this question before... but... Why did you bring me along?" Rose asked again.

"I know I answered this before... You are the key," he answered with the same confidence.

"Could you answer in a sense that I may be able to understand?"

"I could, but I won't."

"Well, why not!"

"You haven't learned enough about other things. I must teach you these things in order for you to understand the answer to your first question."

"Well?" Rose insisted.

"Well what?"

"Well, let's get started!" Rose said standing.

"But I haven't finished my dinner..."

"You have three minutes."

Diaz chuckled as if he took it was a joke but looked her in the eye only to see that she was dead serious. She then held up three fingers and put on a fake smile. He ate quickly and wiped his mouth with a cloth. He stood up and looked at her.

"You are not yet ready for this. Please wait and have a little patience. I promise you that tomorrow, I will begin to teach you what you need to know."

Rose looked back at him and studied his expression. It was drawn and distraught. She lightly gave in and sat down on the log again. He sat beside her again and watched the setting sun.

"Why didn't we settle in town?" Rose asked.

"Well, first you must think that. Next, you must know. Why do you think I went to Caldera?"

"To pick up the scepter," she answered.

"No, I merely did that along the way. I am here with my platoon to answer a distress call. The people of Attucks are being attacked by small Dragons. They believe that they must have a small nest on the mountain peak and have asked us to "take care" of them."

"Dragons!" Rose yelled, almost spilling her food.

"Smaller ones. Very young Dragons. Maybe a thousand years old at least."

"Is that sarcasm?"

"It is! You catch on quickly!" his joking smile returning to his face.

"Hmph... How do you expect to kill a Dragon, if not, several Dragons?"

"Well, we'll draw them out and then dispose of them." He replied nonchalantly, eating more deer.

"Do you soldiers have any experience in fighting Dragons."

"Not all of them. Some have fought at least a dozen in their lifetime. Others are quite new to the enemy."

"Have you ever fought a Dragon?"

"Yes, actually. But I've always had help from these recruits."

"So... I want to ask you–"

"You can't come," said Diaz cutting her off.

"Why not!"

"It's too dangerous. I also can't afford to lose you."

"Right... the key thing... but at least I can get the experience!"

"There's always time for experience, especially when the now is not a good time for you to experience it."

"Fine... I don't need your damn experience..."

"That's the spirit!" extolled Diaz, slapping his knee, dropping some deer and appearing sad.

Rose rolled her eyes at his sarcastic enthusiasm. She pulled the carriage cloth aside and took a step in. Diaz stopped her before she could get in and she turned to listen to him.

"And about that pouch around your neck?" he inquired.

"What of it?" she asked in return.

"I'd like to know what it is."

"You would like it? Well, I don't care what you would like."

Rose stepped into the carriage and laid herself down on the red satin seat. She clutched the pouch close to her chest and closed her eyes to welcome the oncoming sleep. Diaz stood outside the carriage and chuckled at her answer. He went to the soldiers and asked to bunk with them for he knew Rose would want her privacy. They graciously accepted and they all went to sleep under the moonlight. That morning, they left all but one carriage and some horses in the outskirts of the town. They walked into Attucks while Rose and Diaz rode in the carriage. The soldiers were greeted with cheers and shouts of praise. The people were ecstatic to see them. Rose looked out the window only to notice that many of the houses were burnt down and completely destroyed. This must be the result of a Dragon's flame breath, she thought. The carriage stopped and Diaz stood up.

"Don't leave the carriage. I'll be right back," he warned.

Diaz stepped out and approached a man standing a few feet away. Rose slid over to the other side of the carriage and looked out the window. She saw him shake the man's hand and walk into the town building. An hour of waiting passed and Diaz stepped back into the carriage. He saw Rose dozing off but picked up her head to look at him. He had a surprised expression on his face.

"You're still here! I thought you would have snuck off a long time ago!" Diaz said flabbergasted.

"You said not to leave," Rose said, rubbing her eyes.

"I didn't think you'd actually listen."

Rose snarled at him and he laughed repeatedly about it. The soldiers sharpened their weapons and Rose inspected Evenfall for any abrasions or scratches that could hinder its striking shine. Diaz looked at it as she polished it and reminded her that she wasn't coming.

"I know. You can't be too careful," she said with confidence.

She blew on the end of the blade and looked at him. He smirked and knew she was up to something as soon as she spoke. There was no use stopping it though. He knew she would try to tag along even if he found out her initial plan. Finally, he caved.

"Alright... you can come..." Diaz blurted.

"I knew you would come around. When do we leave?"

"Now."

Diaz got up and stepped out of the carriage with Rose close behind. The soldiers approached and signaled that they were ready to leave. The mayor walked over to the long, stone wall and opened the large gate.

"This leads to the mountain peak," the Mayor told them, pointing to the path. "We have mainly used it for tours but the Dragons have made it impassable. But there are established trails and routes so the walk up shouldn't be too long. Please be careful."

"We shall do our best," Diaz stated.

The mayor nodded and they started off up the steep trail. The trail was lined with large stones to mark it. The dirt was soft and covered with light ash. This would explain why the mountain is in an odd place, Rose thought, it's a dormant volcano! As they rounded the base, the trail began to flatten out. Rose could now see the whole town when she looked over the side of the trail. The town was bigger than she originally thought. It had to be, she thought, to handle all the tourists they get. About halfway up the mountain, Rose asked Diaz about his conversation with the mayor.

"Same deal here as in Caldera. I was telling him to evacuate," Diaz suddenly becoming serious.

"The creatures?" Rose inquired.

"Yes. They are all over. And, to tell you the truth, they have the upper hand on all of us, in strength and in surprise. No one expected their attack. We were caught off-guard," Diaz admitted.

"I see. That's why you are headed to the front line."

"How did you find that out?"

"One of your soldiers told me," said Rose with a wink.

"She wasn't supposed to tell you that. That was information only disclosed to them for safe keeping. Now the operation could be jeopardized..."

"Is it really that big of a deal? I mean, I'm coming too, so I should know where we're going, right?"

"That is true but that also reveals to me that I can't disclose information to them," Diaz said, deep in thought.

"I'm sorry..." Rose said, lowering her head.

"No need to be. It's not your fault."

They continued up the mountain and almost reached the peak. The wind was increasing and it was getting very chilly. The wind was making a loud whistling noise in their ears and they were beginning to think that they had gone up there for nothing.

"Dragons are very territorial animals," Diaz divulged. "If we were this close to a nest, they would come at us for sure."

"What do you suggest, my Lord?" the Captain asked.

"We go to the peak. If we find nothing, we'll go back–" Diaz began.

Before he could finish his sentence, he felt a compression of air on his chest and he stopped walking. Everyone turned to look at him. He stood very still and held his hands out as if to catch his balance. He felt another compression of air-_doom_-and his body convulsed when it hit him-_doom_-and the light around him was slowly being blocked out, as if something were to fall on him-_doom_-he looked up and saw a dark blotch in the sky-_doom_-and it continued to increase in size and landed with a huge thud. The Dragon's scales shimmered in the sunlight with a reddish color. It had a beard of spikes that gradually got smaller as it reached its jaw and two spikes on the top of its head in the shape of a ram's horns. They curled to points that stuck out in front. It wasn't the biggest Dragon, about the size of a horse, but size does not matter with a Dragon. Its bright, slitted, orange eyes looked quickly from person to person and finally settled on Rose.

The Dragon reared back and let out a bellow that caused her to have ringing in her ears. She crouched low and clapped her hands over her head. The Dragon continued to bellow until it stopped and began to advance on her. Each step it took shook boulders loose and began to fall down the side of the mountain. As the Dragon lifted a large claw to strike her, she took out Evenfall and reflected the sun into its eyes. The Dragon covered its eyes and flapped its wings in protest. The gust of air from its wings sent her flying backward into the mountain wall and caused even more compression in her ears. She hit the wall hard and fell to the ground only to quickly stand up and run toward the platoon. The soldiers had their bows at the ready and began to fire their arrows. Most of the arrows deflected off the diamond hard scales on the Dragon's hide but some found their way between the scales, digging deep into the flesh of the Dragon. The Dragon yelped in pain and growled at the soldiers. They continued to fire the arrows causing the Dragon to go on a rampage. It bit the arrow knocks off and charged ahead into the group of soldiers. Before it reached the group, it heaved out a breath, smoke poured from its nostrils and it reared its head back.

"WATCH OUT!" Diaz warned.

The soldiers jumped aside as the Dragon thrust its head forward and roared mightily. The back of the throat became visible when the fire passed its vocal cords and shot out quickly and fiercely from its gut. As it was distracted by the platoon, Rose had managed to sneak around behind the Dragon with her sword drawn. She snuck up behind the large Dragon and climbed on a boulder. She stood over the Dragon and held her sword down, her hands ready to thrust the blade into its flesh. She jumped from the boulder and fell onto the Dragon's back, thrusting Evenfall deep within its flesh, putting all of her weight into her strike. The saber broke the Dragon's scales with a loud crack, as if someone had shattered glass. The sword went deeper and deeper into the Dragon. The Dragon let out a loud roar in pain and tried to take off from the ground, flapping its long wings. Rose pulled the sword out of the Dragon's back and drove it in again. The Dragon yelped again and continued to flap helplessly to escape. She ripped her blade from its back and drove it in again with all her strength.

She felt the sword sink in deep and hit a bone she thought to be a part of its spine. She wrenched her sword back and forth and found a place between the vertebrae and sunk the blade in deeper. The sword cut the spine in half and the Dragon stopped all yelping and flapping. She pulled the sword from the Dragon and blood and spinal fluid sprayed from its wound. The Dragon had begun to fall. Rose looked down and noticed that she was about fifty feet in the air. She grabbed onto the Dragon's neck and held on to brace herself for the impact. The Dragon's wings were not folded but straightened which caused her and the lifeless reptilian corpse to glide to the peak. The Dragon was unconsciously steering them into a large cavern on the summit of the mountain.

The Dragon crash landed at the mouth of the cave and Rose was torn from the Dragon's neck and sent spiraling into the cavernous hole. She landed hard on her side and rolled deeper into the cave and eventually stopped after being slammed against a stalagmite. She opened her eyes and saw her nose was bleeding and she couldn't move her left arm. She picked herself up with her right arm and let her left hang to her side. She picked up Evenfall and felt around for the pouch... she couldn't find it; where could it be, she exclaimed!

She searched around for it but couldn't find it. She went deeper into the cave and rounded a corner. She saw it hanging off a pointed rock and she went to grab for it. How did it get here, she thought? It even rounded a bend and– she saw herself face to face with an incredibly gargantuan green Dragon. The Dragon had been looking at her since she found the pouch. It stared at her and she looked back at it. She looked it right in the eye and already noticed a difference in this one from the other one. The other was blinded by fury and this one... seemed calm... almost wise. Its slitted eyes focused in on the pouch and back to Rose. She continued to watch the Dragon and each subtle movement it made, she followed. The Dragon then arched its neck forward and nudged her chin. She recoiled slightly but went back to her original position. It felt almost... she thought, gentle? It's a Dragon. Gentleness isn't in its nature.

"Who are you to call me an 'it?' I'm a he," said a voice resounding within the cave.

Rose's jaw dropped as the voiced bellowed deeply from the Dragon's throat. He sounded wiser than the old storytellers that she used to listen to back in Caldera. The Dragon talks! I didn't think Dragon's were smart enough to talk, she thought!

"And I am definitely smart enough to talk. You humans and your superiority complexes..." the Dragon huffed.

It can read my mind too? She questioned. Dragons were a mysterious creature indeed. People have always been attacked by territorial Dragons and always thought they were just mindless brutes. Dragons were never thought of as intelligent creatures. It was against the laws of the Divine Tree for them to be that intelligent and strong at the same time. Checks and balances is what the Divine Tree is all about. Why would it make a species that could break the balance? Could this possibly be a rift in the system?

"I am no rift," the wise old Dragon began. "I am one who is to help humans. I was put here thirty thousand years ago for a purpose that I only realized now. And I understand completely what I must do to fulfill my destiny."

"How do you know...?" Rose asked.

"I have learned over my time in this world how all species live and how all interact with each other. Communication is the way to understanding. So I communicate with other species and learn more about them. Humans are no different. I learn much from humans. They teach me emotions and pains. They teach me morals and justice. They teach me atrocities and memories. I love to learn about everything. But now has come the time that I am to learn no more."

"I don't under–"

"You don't need to understand. Think with your mind. Follow your heart," the jade Dragon pointed with a large viridian claw.

Rose continued to stare at the Dragon's deep green eyes and she felt a completeness that made her warm and made her grateful to the Dragon. She heard footsteps and clanking armor approaching, echoing off the cave walls.

"My time has come..." the Dragon said with resolution.

Rose was about to speak but she heard a man shout behind her.

"ROSE! RUN!" Diaz yelled.

The Dragon pushed Rose aside with a gentle claw and bellowed a loud roar deep from its red throat. As the Dragon roared, the soldiers shot arrows at his throat and pierced the soft flesh, causing the Dragon to choke on his own breath. More arrows rained upon him and he was beginning to lose a lot of blood. Rose looked at the crimson streams flow from the open wounds on the Dragon's face and saw him cough up mass amounts of blood. Lances were thrown when arrow satchels were empty.

"NO! STOP!" Rose shouted.

Large gouges were made in the Dragon's face and arms and it was beginning to become faint. More lances were thrown, made from Dion's amazingly strong metals, and hitting the Dragon's hide. More blood spurted from its wounds in fine sprays making the air thick and heavy. The Dragon lowered his head to the ground where he continued his labored breaths. The Dragon looked at Rose through his large green eyes and averted his gaze to Diaz who was quickly approaching with his sword drawn. He walked up to the Dragon and raised his sword. The Dragon looked up at Diaz and closed his eyes, awaiting his impending death. Rose watched as she saw the blade come down and hit the Dragon between the eyes. Blood sprayed from his head and the Dragon's eyes opened slowly and went blank. Rose was struck with an emptiness she had felt before. When she discovered her whole family dead, she thought she could never feel any lower. But when the Dragon died, she felt even deeper in a void from which there was no escape. The darkness crept up her neck and engulfed her body in a cold, clammy, lonely embrace that most people would shy away from. But she accepted this embrace and as quickly as it came, it had gone.

She looked down at the Dragon's body and saw Diaz rip his sword from his skull. He wiped it clean with a rag and sheathed it. He looked at Rose and opened his mouth to speak. He left it open, but closed it again, as if looking for the words to say. He searched and searched but couldn't come up with them. He simply turned toward his platoon and walked to the entrance. Rose looked at the Dragon's head, bloodstained and devoid of expression. She looked at the Dragon's eyes and the green was no longer there. She looked down at the Dragon and saw nothing... nothing but a dead–She saw a shimmer of light in its forehead. She bent down to look at it but it was being obstructed by its skin. She put her hand on the Dragon's head and lightly apologized to him for what she was about to do. She reached into the wound and pulled the skin aside. She continued to tug lightly on the skin until a green orb popped out from it. The orb fell to the ground with a small glass 'tink'. She picked up the bloody orb and wiped it clean on her shirt. She noticed it resembled–

"ROSE! WHERE ARE YOU! GET OUT HERE!" Diaz yelled.

Rose was startled at the harshness of his voice, she had never heard it before. She put the orb in the green velvet pouch and tied it around her neck. She got up and walked toward the bend in the cave. She stopped and turned to look at the corpse of the Dragon. She felt sorry for it, something she thought would never have happened.

"Destiny fulfilled...?" Rose asked herself the meaning of the Dragon's words.

Rose turned away from the carcass and rounded the bend where she rejoined Diaz and his soldiers.


	3. Chapter 3

_**Chapter 3**__: Dragon Eyes_

Rose exited the cave only to see the platoon resting on large rocks on the summit of the mountain. Rose's left arm still hung by her side and Evenfall was covered in Dragon's blood and the velvet green pouch was full and splattered with specks of blood. She was physically and mentally exhausted. Not only had she killed a Dragon today, she also spoke to one. Her mind was racing with possibilities that just circled and circled and got nowhere. Her legs could barely carry her anymore and the pain was starting to set in. Every step she took, her arm gave a twinge of pain and she felt the fractured bone rubbing up against each other making a scratching feeling in her upper arm. Diaz is standing by a boulder and sees her come out of the cave. He hurries over to her and sternly speaks.

"That was a very stupid thing you did," he said looking down on her.

"It got the job done, didn't it?" she answered, dodging his criticism.

"Even so, you are my responsibility. If you died-"

"I am not your responsibility! I chose to come with you! Therefore, my choices don-"

Rose lost all energy and collapsed next to Diaz. The soldiers rushed over to her and carried her to the boulder. Diaz sat on another boulder and wiped his face with his hands then covered his mouth. He looked around and noticed the day was ending, the sun was setting and the moon making an appearance. He looked to Rose and to his soldiers. He then made a decision.

"We can't make it down the mountain in time... We shouldn't move her either. Captain!" he called.

"Sir!" the Captain stepped forward.

Diaz took a quill and ripped off a small piece of paper from the map. He scribbled a note down onto it and folded it up. He turned toward the captain and handed him the piece of paper.

"Take half of the platoon into town and give that note to the mayor," Diaz commanded while pointing. "It tells of everything that happened up here and that we need help. The rest of us will stay here tonight."

"But... sir!"

"Tomorrow, you will bring us a medic and the carriage. We'll have to make due with what we have here. Quickly, she's badly hurt and needs medical attention."

"Yes sir..." the Captain caved.

The Captain picked out several recruits and headed down the mountain trail. Their clanking armor was soon out of earshot and Diaz walked over to Rose. He inspected her arm and any other wounds she had acquired.

"She killed a Dragon," he said aloud. "This is something I have never seen before... a twelve-year-old killing an adult Dragon."

"It is quite incredible, if you ask me," the young Cadet said. "She did something I would have thought to be way too dangerous. For a child, she is very well trained and apparently knows how to use a sword."

"She was with a Dragon in the cave..."

"Yes, I'm glad we got there in time!" he exclaimed with a sigh.

"That's not what I mean," Diaz said, pondering. "When I saw her with it, I could have sworn it pushed her aside... almost guiding her."

"What is this supposed to mean, sir?"

"I don't know... But she didn't want us to kill that Dragon. I wonder why?"

"I suppose she was in shock. Moments of intense fear can cause troubled thinking. Maybe the shock of seeing such a mighty Dragon caused her to feel so frightened, that she couldn't think straight."

"I wish I could believe that. Just, something about it made me... anxious," he said, crossing his arms.

"Anxious, sir?"

"Forget it, it's nothing," he shook his head. "Let's get her fixed up as best we can. We don't want her being in too much pain when she wakes up. She should enjoy this sleep. She won't be getting much more that will be this relaxing."

"Aye... We have a hard road ahead of us."

"And even harder for her..."

Diaz ripped his sleeve and tied it around her shoulder. He moved her arm slightly to set the bone back into place so it could heal properly. He placed her set arm in the cloth fashioning a crude sling. The other cuts were wiped clean with dampened cloth and they had done the best they could with their resources at hand. By the time they finished, the moon was out and the darkness enveloped them like a veil of smoke. Diaz carried Rose over to a place between two boulders and secured her there so she wouldn't roll over onto her shattered arm, agitating it. He sat down next to her and untied Evenfall. He unsheathed the saber and studied it. He knew exactly what it was at first glance of the symbol in the corner of the hilt. This sword was supposed to be his, part of his gift from Dion. He looked at it for a while and decided to let Rose have it. He knew that she would be able to put it to good use, better than he could anyway. He untied the green velvet pouch from her neck and laid it next to the saber. She had never told him what was in the pouch. Although his curiosity was getting the best of him, the last thing he would want to do was impede on her privacy and right to keep her own secrets. He looked at the pouch repeatedly, hoping that it would mysteriously loosen its own strings and open up for him so he could look inside. When she is ready, he thought, she'll tell me what is in there. Rose stirred slightly and grunted. Diaz looked at her and noticed she opened her eyes. She looked at him and in her eyes was the look of confusion and utter exhaustion. He slid over to her to explain.

"You broke your arm in quite a few places. I had to set it," Diaz said softly. "I put you here so you wouldn't roll onto it."

"Don't... touch the... the..." Rose blurted weakly.

"I think I know what you mean. You shouldn't talk anymore. You need your strength for you won't be getting real help until tomorrow."

Rose closed her eyes and instantly fell into a deep sleep. Diaz kept watch over her for several hours before his eyes couldn't stay open any longer. He had a dream, which was rare for him. He usually never remembered his dreams, and those he did remember had some strange meaning. This dream was no ordinary dream. It seemed more like a vision than a dream. He saw that he was on a giant tower in the middle of a vast city, holding his scepter high above a large crowd of people, all cheering his name and the seven people around him. He looked at all of their faces, only to notice they were shadowed out except for one. This one looked oddly familiar, but he just couldn't make the connection. He looked over the crowd to see another tower divided into seven sections, each glowing its own color. He looked above the crowd and into the sky and noticed seven large beasts flying in the deep blue-gold sky above the sea. He looked down at the crowd which continued shouting his name and the vision faded.

Diaz opened his eyes, the sun was rising and he could hear clanking armor coming up the side of the mountain. Rose still seemed groggy but was well enough to sit up. She complained of pain from swelling in her arm and soreness all over her body. The carriage soon came to the summit and Diaz picked Rose up and rushed her over to it. He pulled the curtain aside and laid her down on the red satin seat. He left the carriage again and grabbed the green pouch and Evenfall and ran back to the carriage. He hopped into it, placing the pouch and saber on her seat. She looked at him and the pouch which he shook his head in silent answer. She tied it around her neck and laid her head down on the seat.

"We are going quickly down the mountain and you are going directly to the clinic," Diaz said while fumbling with papers. "While you are getting fixed up there, we will gather supplies for the trip from here to the coastal town, Jokuhl."

"It hurts... a lot..." Rose complained.

"I'll bet. It's quite a break. You arm is completely shattered and-!"

"No, I mean what you did to that poor Dragon..."

Diaz was stunned by her remark about the Dragon. He wondered what she meant by it and asked her why.

"Why! It was different from the other! The other was angry and a complete beast!" Rose pleaded.

"And the one you met, the bigger, stronger, more dangerous Dragon was the one you would prefer being with!" Diaz said in defense.

"It wasn't angry, or a beast at all! It was a wise creature that was in this world for thirty thousand years! You killed an incredible amount of history, not to mention character yesterday!"

Diaz couldn't think about this right now and told her so. He had thoughts of his own to worry about right now and had no time for the accounts of a twelve-year-old. He thought about his vision and he felt chills run up his spine as he thought about it. Rose continued to lie there, not saying a word, apparently going over her own thoughts and problems. She thought of the Dragon and how it was different from the one she killed, how it had a wisdom that outdone any human, how it talked. She remembered what she placed inside her pouch and clutched it close to her body. Diaz saw this and became curious.

"It must be a great thing... in that pouch," he said, nodding in her direction.

"Great it may be..." she said, clutching it closer. "But I don't care what it is or the value, it was my father's and it's all I have left of him."

"I can understand what you are going through. I lost my father when I was really young. My mother took care of me through my childhood. Then I enlisted in the armed forces and grew in rank. I eventually became General of the Cultain Brigade. I was then transferred to one of the traveling platoons and have been in it ever since."

"You're almost like me..." she admitted.

"Almost?" he questioned, tilting his head.

"I never knew my mother... My father said she died in childbirth. And my brother never really liked me for it... He sort of blamed me for her death. My father... everyday... he sat in his chair by the fire and held this pouch close to him. He showed me what was in it... but never explained what it was... I had always wondered... then that day when they were murdered... I didn't know what to do. I grabbed everything I could and ran. I've always had the pouch, and I still don't know what it is."

"Will I ever know what's in the pouch?"

"Maybe... some other time, yes."

Diaz was pleased with her answer. He didn't like to be kept in the dark about things close to him. It could have been dangerous, even harmful. He pushed that from his mind since it will soon be resolved. When they reached the bottom of the mountain, the mayor rushed over to the carriage and held the curtain up so the two of them could step out. Rose was immediately led to the clinic where she was given a bed, some food, and a cup of water. She ate and drank voraciously and lied down in the bed. She was quite comfortable but her arm was beginning to sting again. It had been almost a day since it had been broken and there could have been many things going wrong with it. She was worried about how her blood was to reach the rest of her arm and even infection. She even feared amputation at some point. She waited anxiously for someone to come in. She heard the door creak open and noticed a tall red-haired woman walk in. She placed some medicines on the table and walked over to Rose. She took the crude sling off her arm and inspected it. She moved parts of it around and Rose felt little jolts of pain. The red-haired woman took some medicine.

"Here, take this. It will stop any chance of infection," the red-haired woman insisted.

"Will it be alright?" Rose asked nervously.

"You're arm is broken in several places. It may take quite some time to fully heal, but we will be able to take away some of the pain. How did this happen, anyway?"

"The Dragon crashed," she replied, embarrassed.

"It... crashed? How were you hurt when it crashed!"

"I was on it," Rose said, rubbing the back of her head and laughing.

The woman was appalled and seemed to get angry at something but the anger wasn't toward Rose, this she knew. She continued to give her herbs and dried pills for pain and infection. The woman moved Rose's arm and set the several broken bones. When she felt they were in place, she put a plaster casing around it. When it dried, Rose could barely move her arm.

"How am I supposed to travel with this!" Rose complained, perplexed.

"Don't worry, it's just so you don't move it. Please come with me," the woman commanded, walking to the door.

Rose stood up and followed the woman to the door in the back of the room. She opened the door and entered the huge, spherical room. The room was full of rounded stone and a high platform with stairs leading up to it. Hanging from the ceiling of the room was a metal sphere that connected to a wire that glowed white. The woman guided Rose to a spot in the center of the room, below the sphere. She then climbed the stairs to the high platform and pulled some switches. She told Rose not to move and Rose nodded her head in reply. The woman flipped a switch and a white light filled the room. The light enveloped Rose and she felt the bones in her arm come together and the swelling drop significantly. Her cuts and bruises began to disappear but the light slowly faded before her arm was completely healed. The woman came down from the platform and led Rose to her bed.

"You'll sleep here tonight so we can see how the arm is doing. You'll have to keep that cast on tonight too. We will take it off tomorrow and give you something that is easier to move in," the woman told her.

Rose hopped into bed and prepared herself for sleep. She grabbed her pouch and tied it to her neck for safekeeping. The woman walked over to the door and looked back at Rose.

"My name is Shirley," she said. "If you have any problems or you need anything, just call for me."

Shirley was about to leave the room when she closed the door and turned around to speak to Rose again. She pulled a chair next to her bed and sat in it. Rose looked at her, puzzled.

"They told me not to talk to you, but I must know..." Shirley grew closer. "Why are you traveling with this platoon?"

Rose wanted to talk to her about everything that has happened to her. But the one thing she didn't want to do was give away the platoon's reason for traveling. She dodged the question.

"I... I can't say. It's a secret," Rose replied, averting her gaze.

"It's a secret why YOU are traveling with them?"

"Um... no... It's... er..."

Rose began to stumble with her words and couldn't find the ones to say. She averted her gaze again to the bed sheets and tried to say something else.

"They found me in Caldera. He knew my father when I was younger so I thought I could trust him."

"But what about your father?" Shirley asked tenderly.

"He died... seven years ago."

"I'm sorry... and your mother?"

"She died giving birth to me. I never had a mother," Rose admitted, lowering her head.

"Any siblings?"

"I had a brother... he died with my father..."

"What happened to them?"

"The creatures we are at war with..."

Shirley put her chin in her hand. She nodded as if something had been confirmed. She looked back at Rose.

"So that's why you're with them... revenge?"

"I wouldn't really say it's revenge," Rose lied. "They saw potential in me and they decided to take me with them."

"Alright... well, I'll see you tomorrow morning and check up on your arm."

She moved the chair back to the table and left the room. Rose followed her across the room until she left and quickly grabbed the green pouch and opened it. She took the green orb out of the pouch. She noticed the blood had dried onto the surface so she took the wash basin and dipped it in. She rubbed the surface vigorously until it became clear. The water was light red with blood and she raised it out of the cool water. Its color was a bright forest green that showed brilliantly in the light. Light rays danced on the hard wood floor as she spun it around to scrutinize the orb. It had a darkened green spot that made it look more like an eye. It looked familiar. When she stared into it, she immediately thought of the Green Dragon that had spoken to her the day before. She felt a warmth come from it which she recognized as well. She placed it on the bed and took out the red orb of her father's. She looked at it and noticed the resemblance between the two orbs.

She took the green in one hand and red in the other and compared them, side by side. As soon as she brought them close together, both shined with an incredible light, she was blinded by the light and she rubbed her eyes with the backs of her hands. The light was piercing and she couldn't fight it even with her eyes closed. She threw them on the bed and she went over to the wash basin and cupped her hands for water. She put it on her face and rubbed her eyes until her sight cleared up. She turned back to the orbs that had stopped shining and returned to their colorful selves. She put her father's in the green pouch and grabbed the green orb. As she was about to put it in the pouch, she felt that it would be best if they were separated. She tore a piece of the bed sheets and tied it around the green orb and tied it to the green velvet pouch. Both hung from her neck for the time being, she can't show that she has another to the others or they will ask questions.

She couldn't help but think what the orbs were. She could make one connection, for she had pulled it from the Dragon itself. If this came from a Dragon, she thought, then my father's must have come from a Dragon too! She decided to call them Dragon Eyes, for the similarities are very close to an eye. She closed her eyes and felt herself drift into sleep. She was led to a place in the middle of a large meadow. She looked around and saw nothing but open space. The sky was dark yet it was still bright enough to see very clearly. She wasn't sure whether there was a sky or not, just an empty blackness. She looked at the ground to see several flowers she had never seen before, like they never existed. She walked for what seemed like hours until she came to a circular coliseum. She entered through the only entrance and walked into the empty theater. It was completely empty and it wasn't really a theater at all. There were no stands, no stage, no seats at all. Just seven holes in the walls, built directly into them. She walked into the center of the theater and heard rumbles come from the cave on her left. She turned only to see the same green eyes she had longed to see for a day. She walked over to the great beast and he spoke in his low, rumbling voice.

"I see you found it. I am glad. For had you not, it would have gone to waste," the Jade Dragon sighed.

"Who are you?" Rose asked the wise beast.

The Dragon laughed deeply and clapped his claws into the dry sand. He stood up to his full height, several stories high, a neck that hovered over what seemed to be the entire world. His body was wide but kept a consecutive green shade. He looked down at Rose and nudged her lightly.

"I am a spirit that was given by Soa himself," the Dragon said haughtily. "A gift from the Creator for all the species of the world."

Rose was astonished at what she heard and continued to ask her questions.

"What are the Dragon Eyes?"

"That you must figure out for yourself. For there are many, what you call, Eyes and with each lies a clue for that answer. It's up to you whether or not you want to find the answer," the Dragon nodded.

"More circles..." said Rose, shaking her head. "Why have the Eyes come into my possession?"

"It's your destiny. Nothing more, nothing less."

Rose was confused again. Her destiny wasn't decided yet for she was the one leading her life. She continued to look at the Dragon, arms crossed, still sifting through questions.

"Maybe someone else can help answer your questions," the Jade Dragon bowed.

The Dragon looked over to the center hole. Rose followed his gaze to the hole and turned to face it. The ground shook with great force, something large was coming. The rumbles turned into quakes and she was having a hard time standing on her own two feet. She continued to look at the hole only to see a long neck emerge from it. The legs were almost as long as the neck itself and the claws were grand and wide. The nails were a deep black on most of the feet. One foot, on the other hand, had pearly white nails, which offset the entire coloring. The body came out, broad shoulders and strong knees. The tail came last, spines all down the back and flowering at the tail. The spines were large and the tail swung like a spiked club into the ground where it was anchored. The red scales glinted in the light that did not exist. It was a spectacular sight to see this creature. Its face was deeper that the green Dragon and the eyes even more deep. The eyes were a dark gray, almost black but not quite. It had horns that were sharp and deadly but weapons that would never be used.

The Red Dragon looked at Rose and she knew instantly who he was. She fell to her knees and grasped the pouch on her chest. She seemed to have lost her breath and panted heavily. She tried to stand but her legs wouldn't allow her to put any weight on them. She looked up at the deep expression on the Dragon's face. It was humble and she felt more whole than ever. Nothing ever quite filled the void in her mind, not even the Green Dragon she had met earlier, which was a mere substitute. This Dragon seemed to fill her to the brim with emotion, some she had never felt before. Her eyes welled with tears and she quickly wiped them away and tried to stand again. Her legs locked into place and she stood up to face the creature. He followed her every movement and lowered his head. His voice was deeper than the Green Dragon's and as he spoke, the feeling of pure wisdom seemed to pour right from his mind into hers. Her eardrums boomed with the amount of air this creature's lungs moved.

"I'm glad to meet the descendent of Arichal," the Red Dragon said.

"Arichal was your great grandfather," the Jade Dragon divulged. "He is the one who slew the Dragon you see before you."

"He was a great warrior. I see you have inherited my spirit," the Red Dragon pointed with a pearly claw.

Rose opened the pouch and took the red Dragon Eye from it. She looked at it closely.

"Interesting... it doesn't seem to react to you," the Red Dragon sighed.

"React?" she inquired.

"She doesn't know yet," The Jade Dragon revealed.

"Ah, I see. Well, she will in good time. Tell me, Rose, do you know of the Winglies?"

"Winglies? Do you mean the... the winged creatures?" Rose asked, now getting excited.

"That I do. It seems you have received the answer to their invasion, as a matter of fact, you have received two," the Red Dragon sniffed.

Rose opened the other crude pouch and dropped the orb into her hand. She held both Eyes close together and they shined brightly. The Dragons smirked with pleasure and lowered their heads.

"You hold the spirits of Dragons in your hands," said the Red Dragon.

Rose was astonished. She stared at them. How could something so small, she thought, represent something so large!

"What's their purpose?" she asked.

"You must discover it!" the Red Dragon shouted, dust blowing from his horn-like lungs. "You must find the link between yourself and Dragons on your own, for if we tell you, you will never discover it."

"I... I think I get it," she pondered.

"I will give you a hint, but only one," the Red Dragon inhaled. "You hold them in your hands. The chinks in the chain that connect you and the-ROSE!"

The Dragons looked up into the black sky and looked at each other. They re-enter their holes and Rose is lifted from the coliseum. She looked down upon the dream world and saw nothing but plants in all directions. She was dragged into the dark sky, feelings receding. She opened her eyes and found herself in the clinic, asleep in her bed. She looked up and found Shirley staring her in the eyes, panting as if she had been running for a long time.

"ROSE! WAKE UP!" Shirley shouted, jostling Rose.

"What's wrong!" Rose asked her.

"The creatures are attacking the village! We have to leave!"

"Wha! I don't-!"

Before Rose could finish her sentence, Shirley grabbed Rose's things and ran through the door dragging her behind. They ran through the clinic, fire blazing, cracking, burning everything in sight. The heat was intense and made them sweat profusely. They left the clinic to see the entire village in flames. Many houses were gone or still burning, daylight starting to break. There was a deafening silence, nothing but the crackle of burning wood. The horses neighed with anger and fear. Diaz stood in front of the carriage, waiting for the two women. He was covered in blood, both his sword and clothes. He ran out to them and pushed them from behind toward the carriage. They hopped in and the carriage started to go instantly. As they spoke, the fire's loud roaring entered their ears and stifled their hearing. They screamed to communicate.

"What's going on!" Rose screamed.

"A sneak attack!" replied Diaz. "We didn't expect it at all! They must have used some form of magic to hide themselves!"

"Magic!"

"It's their weapon! It's how they fight!"

"I hope you know where you're going!" Shirley stated.

"Don't worry!" reassured Diaz. "I just came from this way! All the soldiers and villagers left early this morning so there weren't very many casualties!"

"At least one good thing came of this!" said Shirley matter-of-factly.

The carriage soared through the streets, horses eager to leave the burning village. They reached the gate but the carriage came to a short stop. Diaz hopped out of the carriage, only to notice a wall of fire. He turned around and saw the flames enclose them. They were trapped in a circle of fire, with no escape but up. Rose left the carriage and joined Diaz. Surveying the surroundings, nothing but fire could be seen. Small glints of light in the sky could be seen in the distance. The lights grew in intensity and numbers. They approached quickly and began to become clear. People were floating toward them with weapons and wings of blue light. At least twenty settled themselves in the ring of fire and their wings disappeared. The leader of the group wore several jewels and better clothing than the others. He held a crimson sword that reflected the blazing fires that burned all around them. The other soldiers stood in formation behind the leader. The leader unfolded the parchment and began to read.

"Diaz, Leader of the Human Resistance, you are charged with war crimes against the superior race, the Winglies. You will be tried in our courts by a jury of our peers. If you resist, you will be executed on sight. Make your choice now!"

"The Winglies... can it be?" Rose's brow furrowed.

Diaz put his arm out and pushed Rose toward the carriage. She willingly went and sat on the seat, looking out the carriage window. Her cast clumped against the opening. Damn! We forgot to get the cast off, she thought. Shirley saw her look at it and scowl.

"We can't do anything about it right now! I'll have to take it off later!" Shirley told her.

"There might not be a later!" Rose said truthfully.

Shirley looked at her and the truth settled in. She took out a knife from a leather belt and slit the cast down the side and split it open. Rose flexed her arm, it seemed to be healed enough for use but it could easily break again. She looked out the window, Diaz had his sword in his hand and was encircled by the twenty or so men that had met them earlier. The leader entered the circle of men and took out his crimson sword and pointed it straight at Diaz.

"This was the wrong choice," said the Leader with complete confidence.

"I beg to differ," Diaz stated.

The leader smirked and lowered his sword. He walked over to Diaz and began to pick up speed, bringing his sword up. The sword cut the wind with such precision and accuracy that the sword came up quickly with no resistance at all. Diaz stepped back slightly and the sword brushed by his face, feeling the wind blow by from the colossal strike. As quickly as the sword went up, the sword came back down. Diaz stepped back again into the wall of men. The sword came down, brushed by his face again, catching his cheek. The blade's sharpness cut his flesh easily and blood streamed down his face. The men pushed Diaz back into the circle. The leader came again with his sword. Diaz raised his own and blocked it. Diaz continued to block each blow the leader threw at him. Although the leader did all the work, he didn't grow tired. He continued to rain blow after blow upon Diaz. He left no opening for Diaz to make a move so the only way to win was to make his own opening.

The leader tried to make a stab at him. Diaz stepped aside and let the leader pass him, then brought his sword down upon the leader's side. Blood squirted from the wound and he stepped back toward the middle of the circle. Rose continued to watch the battle. At first, she thought Diaz was going to be slain, but then she remembered that she had never really seen him do any forms. He was an excellent swordsman that was only rivaled by that Wingly leader himself. Diaz made a lunge toward the leader who pushed the sword aside with his own. Diaz sliced the leader again and more blood became visible. A small pool began to form where the leader stood, the blood thickening as the air hit it, reflections of dancing flames becoming visible in the glossy liquid. The sun began to peak behind the buildings and the rays shined on the carriage and began to heat it up. But smoke slowly covered the sun and it was hidden behind the impenetrable smokescreen. The leader knelt down and fell in the pool of blood. He dropped his sword and had fallen.

The circle of fire diminished and was snuffed out. The twenty men were shocked and started to close in on Diaz. He won't be able to get out of there, thought Rose. What to do! She looked around and saw the two pouches still around her neck. She grabbed them and opened them quickly and took out the orbs. She left the carriage, Shirley grabbing at her but failed to get a grip, and she held the orbs close together. They shined brighter than they had before. The piercing light blinded the men and they tried to cover their eyes to block out the bright rays. Diaz looked back to see Rose engulfed in a green-red light and had to shield his eyes. Diaz backed away from the Winglies, pushing a few of them down, and jumped into the carriage. Rose followed him and the horses sped off.

Diaz looked out the window, the Winglies stumbling, holding and rubbing their eyes and looked to Rose. She put the orbs back into the pouches. She tied the green velvet pouch around her neck and put the other one in her bag. Diaz continued to look at her, blood still streaming down his face from the wound on his cheek. He stared at her and then averted his gaze to the window. He looked back again and saw the Winglies were gone, whether they escaped or took to the sky, Diaz was uneasy. He shifted in his seat, looking around the carriage for an explanation. Shirley, still left in the dark, did the same. Rose didn't know what to say, what she should tell them, and even if they would believe it. She couldn't think of the words or what to say about the orbs or even what she did. Diaz sensed this and moved on.

"We'll meet up with the platoon further up the road," Diaz sighed.

The smoke got thinner as they went down the road as the horses continued to run away from the burning village of Attucks. Shirley looked out the window, peering back at her home, which she will see no more.


	4. Chapter 4

_**Chapter 4**__: The Green Velvet Pouch_

The carriage pulled up to a small blockade set up by the platoon. The soldiers quickly came up to the carriage and helped them out. Several recruits began to speak to Diaz and he became engulfed in a crowd of conversing soldiers. Shirley took Rose's arm and examined it. It still hurt but the pain was not as intense as it was the day before. Shirley shook her head and told Rose what she had to do.

"It still hasn't completely healed," she revealed. "I also saw it still hurt you. You'll need a sling but you won't need a splint or anything that will hinder your movement."

"Thank you..." Rose said gratefully.

"No need for that, it's my job... or at least it was..."

"I'm sorry about your village," Rose said, trying to console her.

"It wasn't my village," Shirley blinked. "I just went there for work. I'm from lands further east from here. I was born in Hergrind, the placid city."

"I've never heard of it."

"I thought you wouldn't. Not many do. Most haven't even been that far east."

Diaz dodged several questions and found his way over to them. He looked distressed and tired. His face was covered in dried blood and was blackened from the soot. He stood wearily as if he was going to fall, and yet he seemed totally alert.

"I demand an explanation," Diaz demanded, putting his foot down. "What happened back there?"

"I helped you out," Rose replied calmly.

"How?"

"Does it matter?"

"It does," Diaz pointed out. "I have been with you for two weeks and you are carrying something that I don't understand. I need to know what it is and what it does so I know for sure that it will not hurt any of my soldiers or you."

Rose looked down, hanging her arms at her sides. She was tired too. She didn't want to go through all this now. She was awakened in the early morning and hadn't fully recovered.

"Can we do this later? I'm really tired..." Rose said wearily.

"You can rest after you tell me what's going on," Diaz demanded again.

"She's just a young girl! Give her a break!" Shirley yelled.

"I don't give anyone a break if they are endangering my platoon," Diaz said staring. "I must know."

Rose looked off to the side, spotting a small bug crawling across a rock. It climbed up the side and reached the top.

"But..." Rose whined.

"Rose... I must know," Diaz said at last.

The bug moved its antennae around, sniffing the air, and climbed down the other side of the rock. Rose clutched the pouch in her hand and didn't want to let go. She looked at Diaz and he nodded. She let go of the pouch and hung her head again. The words uttered from her mouth weakly.

"Alright..."

She walked over to the carriage and climbed in. Both Shirley and Diaz followed and entered. Rose sat down on the red seat and untied the pouch from her neck. Shirley and Diaz sat opposite her and watched her fumble with the knot. She opened the pouch and held her hand out while tipping it and letting the red orb fall out into her hand. The orb gleamed in the sunlight, filling the carriage with an eerie red glow. Diaz stared at it and didn't know what to make of it. Shirley's eyes widened and she clutched a pack she was wearing, filled with her only possessions. Rose grabbed the other cloth and opened it, revealing the green orb. Diaz looked at it and noticed it resembled something he knew. Rose put the two together and the two shined brightly, filling the carriage with light. Shirley and Diaz covered their eyes, fighting the piercing light. She quickly separated them and put them back into pouches.

"What are those?" Diaz asked, astonished.

"I... I don't know..." Rose answered.

"You know something," Diaz pried.

"If I did, I would tell you."

"You're a horrible liar."

"I'm not lying..."

"I don't believe you. You know something."

"No I don't."

"Enough of these games! Tell me what you know!" Diaz said, reaching his limit.

"I don't know anything!" Rose bellowed.

Rose burst from the carriage and ran into the woods. She passed several dozen trees, each one with a trunk larger than any tree she had ever seen. She ducked behind a particularly large tree and put her two first fingers on her temples and closed her eyes. She wanted nothing more than to think about recent events. She couldn't take anymore of his bickering and his heartless demands without knowing how she felt. His ability to annoy her peaked about here and she hoped that he would never get this annoying again. But as she thought of his intention, she could understand why he pressured her for information. He didn't want to endanger his subordinates, the pride of a Commander. But his method of acquiring this information disturbed her. Why did she go with this man if she thought it would be like this? Was it ambition? What did she see in him? Was it because she thought it couldn't have been worse than what she was already going through? Whatever the answer was, she didn't know it.

She stopped crouching and sat down, her back against the large tree trunk. She scraped a bit of bark off with her back, leaving small bits on the ground. A line of ants frantically dodged the falling pieces and searched for their line, to stay with the group. She watched as the ants reunited with the other side of the line and continued the trek up the tree, into their home in the crevasses of the trunk. She never watched ants before. Always working, searching, marching trying to reach their objective. The ants reminded Rose of warriors marching to battle. Warriors work, search, and march until they reach their objective. Both warriors and ants must have a sense of knowing what can happen to them. Severe injury and death are not appealing to most. But she thought that's what makes them warriors. Knowing they face death and still march on is what makes them what they are. Is this what I am, she thought? A warrior? Am I marching into something that can lead me to the ultimate fate?

She heard voices in the air in the direction of the camp. She thought whether she wanted to go back or stay here, by herself. She heard the voices again, this time hearing her name clearly. She struggled with the choice and leaned forward, ready to stand up. She heard her name a third time and decided she would have her alone time later. She stood up and walked back to the camp. The sky began to fill with clouds, either rich with rain or blackened with smoke. She felt a drop on her cheek and the rain began to drizzle down. As she passed several boulders, she saw spots of liquid on the surface, changing the color of it. She continued to walk back to camp and she saw someone come into view. The rain began to fall more fiercely and in larger droplets. This person approached and was getting completely soaked. Rose's hair started to feel heavier, catching the rain. She looked at the person and noticed it was Shirley. She looked upset and reached into her pack.

"Where did you get them?" Shirley asked, looking perplexed.

Rose tried to figure out what she meant. It took her some time to realize what Shirley was talking about.

"My father gave me the red one," Rose said, pointing. "And I... 'found' the green one."

"Oh..." Shirley said, appearing crestfallen. "Because I thought you could provide some answers..."

"Answers? About what?"

"This."

Shirley took her hand out of the pack and uncurled her fingers from around the smooth surface of a white orb. Rose was astonished at the orbs purity and complete white color, except for a darkened gray slit in the shape of an eye. Rose rushed forward and looked at it more closely.

"Where...? How...?" Rose asked, dumbfounded.

"My mother gave it to me," she replied. "She said she found it in a merchant's shop... I... I never knew what it was but... it made me heal very quickly whenever I was hurt."

Rose didn't know what to make of it. How can this be? Three Spirits in one place. She remembered what the Dragons told her back in Attucks. That it is her destiny to have these. She reached out for the orb but Shirley recoiled and put it away. She turned from Rose and walked into the dimming light of the forest. The rain came down harder and Rose continued toward the camp. After coming through the tree line, Diaz approached her, looking upset and agitated.

"I'm sorry about before," Diaz admitted. "I just feel that my platoon could be in danger with those items."

"I understand..." Rose said, averting her gaze.

Diaz led her over to carriage and helped her in. The rain hitting the roof of the carriage filled it with clattering and thuds from each drop. She sat down on the red velvet seat and Diaz sat opposite her. Shirley stood outside under a tent that was pitched for the few soldiers who were injured the previous night. She was using her orb, in secret, to heal the men. The gashes and bruises disappeared quickly and they were amazed at how fit they felt. As she looked out the window, Diaz started to speak with you.

"May I see the green orb again?" Diaz asked.

She hesitated but willingly took out the pouch and the green orb fell out into the palm of her hand. Diaz stared at it and held his hand out. She looked at his open hand, wanting to keep the orb in her possession, she pulled her hand back. Diaz reassured her and she gently rolled the orb into his hand. He took it between his thumb and forefinger and gazed at it. He looked at the smoothness of the surface and settled his eyes on the darkened green slit.

"This looks... so familiar..." he squinted.

"It should..." Rose huffed.

"But... how would you know?"

"Maybe you should kill another Dragon and see what happens," she said, turning away.

"As I thought... this is from the Dragon I slew..." he said nodding.

"Bingo..." she replied rather forcefully.

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"What would I have told you? If I came up to you and told you I got it from the Dragon's death wound, you would have dismissed it as if it were nothing."

"That's not true," he denied.

"It is! And if I told you, now, that it is the Spirit of the Dragon you killed, what would you say!"

"I would say... really?"

She looked at him, a smile stretching across his face. She snarled again and folded her arms and averted her gaze to the window. She hated being treated like child, especially when she was telling the truth about important subjects. This isn't about what things are, and what they aren't. This is about a life in the palm of her hand that she never knew about, that lived with her for 7 years, and kept her going after all these years. And soon, two others came into her life. Now not only must she worry about her own life, but worry about another three. It was a strain on the mind and she couldn't take much more of it.

"A Dragon Spirit, huh? Who would have thunk it?" he asked.

"Obviously, not you," she replied.

"Ouch... Harsh," he said, recoiling as if he had been bitten.

"Well, it's true."

"But... how did you know this was a Dragon Spirit?"

"Um..." she froze, her eyes growing wide.

"Aha!" Diaz yelled triumphantly. "I knew you were hiding more. Spill it."

Rose couldn't put it into words. It was hard to explain. A lot of it she couldn't remember because she was interrupted by Shirley's yelling. She mustered all the words she could and conveyed them to Diaz who had a questionable look on his face. Rose told him of the Dragons appearance and the voices that came from their mouths. After she had finished, Diaz shook his head at the amount of information he had to understand. He held one hand at the side of his head, the forefinger and middle finger on his temple, moving in a circular motion as if to get rid of a headache. His eyes were closed most of the time and when he finally looked up and put his hand down, he chuckled.

"Did this ever occur to you that this could have been a dream?" he asked.

"How could I dream of something I had never seen before?" she said definitively.

"An excellent point..." he conceded. "However, you were in a lot of pain from the previous day's events. The pain could have caused you to think up preposterous things."

"My arm didn't hurt when I went to sleep. Shirley had repaired it enough that it only felt a little sore."

"Ok... there goes my theory. So, if this is all true, what are you going to do about it?"

"I don't know... I hope I can meet the Dragons again sometime in the future. I need to know more."

"Well, when you learn more, be sure to tell me. This may be interesting," he said, twiddling his fingers. "Maybe there is more to these Dragon Spirits."

"Well, I want to sleep," she yawned. "Maybe I'll meet them again."

"So be it. Good night."

Diaz stepped out and rushed over to a tent that was pitched especially for him, since he never slept in the carriage anymore, it had become Rose's unofficial sleeping quarters. She laid herself down on the seat and closed her eyes. Her body and mind were tired and she didn't even want to think, just to sleep. She felt the sleep come on and she plummeted into a dark hole. The hole seemed endless until she saw a light at the bottom. The light quickly turned into the coliseum that she went to in her previous dream. She landed lightly in the soft tan sand in the middle of the large structure. The seven holes in the wall with the delicately designed arches surrounded her. She felt rumbles in the sand. Footsteps she put there earlier were filled with sand and the Red Dragon emerged from his hole. The Jade Dragon emerged from his and lied down in the sand.

"Now that you know the amazing power of the Winglies, it will motivate you to be the best you can be," the Red Dragon hummed.

"But I need to know," Rose stared. "Why me?"

"Because you are the key," The Jade Dragon stated.

Rose thought of how Diaz always says the very same thing. What could he know?

"The key to what?" she asked.

"The key to unlock the power of the Dragon," the Red Dragon replied frankly.

"But... what is the power of the Dragon?" she asked hopefully.

"You will find out in time," the Red Dragon replied. "You must learn our names to unleash our power."

"Your names? What are your names?"

"You thought it would be that easy?" the Jade Dragon chuckled deeply.

"Well, I can only hope," Rose pouted.

"You do not know our names," the Red Dragon admitted. "You cannot know our names. There is only one name you can know, and that is of YOUR Dragon."

"My Dragon? I don't have one!" she replied, gesturing vigorously.

"Oh, you do Rose," the Jade Dragon revealed. "Your Dragon knows your name too."

"But..." Rose shook her head. "I've never seen a Dragon before the two on the mountain."

"Just because you never met a person doesn't mean they don't exist," the Red Dragon stated.

"Person?" Rose mumbled.

"But your Dragon knows you exist," the Jade Dragon said. "She has seen you before. She has seen you in your dreams, your heart, in the times you were alone."

"Alone?" she mumbled again.

She thought of the day her father and brother were murdered. She never felt so alone, but she was sure there was something with her the whole time. It kept her company, kept her going on strong.

"What you felt that day was your Dragon," the Red Dragon's voice rumbled. "She can feel your emotions, as you can feel hers. Whenever you feel upset or angry and you don't know why, you are channeling the emotions of your Dragon."

"Channeling?" she asked, confused.

"You and she have a link. And through this link, you share feelings and thoughts, sometimes even bursts of strength beyond human capabilities," the Jade Dragon said.

"Where is my Dragon?" she wondered out loud.

"You have to find her," the Red Dragon snorted. "and every other Dragon that belongs in this coliseum. Each hole represents a Dragon. Each arch above the hole gives clues to where the Dragon or its Spirit lies. Some Dragon's are here, and some are yet to be discovered. You must seek them out. Finding them is of utmost importance."

"If some are here, can't I ask them where their Spirit is?" Rose asked.

"Those Dragon's whose Spirit has not yet been activated cannot be present here," said the Jade Dragon, shaking his large green head.

"Activated?" Rose squinted.

"When you hold them together, they resonate with each other," said the Red Dragon. "They give off a bright light, thus activating their power."

"This is how we can be speaking to you through your mind," the Jade Dragon said. "You activated us that night in Attucks before you fell asleep. We brought you here."

"Shirley has a Spirit too," Rose divulged. "Is her Dragon here?"

"No other Dragon is here," the Jade Dragon shaking his head. "We are not sure whether it is her Dragon either. Dragons choose their partners when they are activated."

"But... was my Dragon activated?" Rose asked with deep curiosity.

"You... are the exception," the Red Dragon blinked. "That is why it is up to you to gather these Spirits. More will be revealed to you then. Now we shall send you back. But we ask of you, activate the Spirit Shirley holds. The Dragon will provide more information for you."

"I will," Rose nodded.

"Rose, do not withhold information from Diaz. He can help you," the Jade Dragon stood.

"Yes... I suppose..." she admitted reluctantly.

The Dragons bowed to her and she did the same. She floated lightly off the ground and she looked down, as if trying to gain balance. She floated a little higher until she was about two body lengths off the ground before her mind was struck with another question.

"Wait!" she halted.

"Don't worry," the Red Dragon assured her. "We will contact you when you most need it."

She looked at him and he grinned a Dragon's grin, teeth and all. She smiled back and the ground pulled away from her at immense speeds. She rose up into the darkness until the ground disappeared from her sight. She felt her body flatten out and land on a flat surface. She opened her eyes and was back in the carriage. She immediately sat up and rubbed her face with her hands. She looked over to the other seat to see Shirley sleeping restlessly. She shifted and turned and grunted in her sleep. She must have returned a short time ago. Rose looked outside to see the moon still high in the sky and all the tent lights out. The fire pit was smothered out with dirt and water. She left the carriage and removed the wet wood from the pit. She laid down new wood and set it aflame. She could see the sun beginning to rise and knew the platoon would be up any time now. She sat in front of the fire and warmed up her hands while thinking of what to do next.

She would have to talk to Diaz later about her dream, the Dragons said so, and she would also have to get Shirley to let her activate the Spirit. Today will be a tough day, she thought. But, like every other day, it will end. She put her hands under her arms and stared into the dancing embers. As she stared, she heard a small clanking sound in the distance, a hundred yards up the road. She turned to look up the road and was surprised at the sight. A small platoon of soldiers with heavy armor approached the camp, weapons drawn and faces grim. She stood and looked at the soldiers as they marched down the trail. She gripped her weapon, unaware of what may happen. She readied herself, prepared to fight. The whole group stopped and one man came forth. He was very large, almost 3 times larger than Rose and a good two heads over Diaz. He came up to her and put away his weapon.

"Do you know if this platoon is under the command of General Diaz?" the huge soldier asked.

"I do... What's it to you?" Rose replied suspiciously.

"I'm sorry..." he apologized.

He removed his helmet to reveal very short black hair, almost cut to the scalp. His eyes were hazel and his face was clear cut with high cheek bones.

"I am Belzac of the 88th platoon," he saluted. "We have come to merge with this one."


	5. Chapter 5

_**Chapter 5**__: The Poor Soul_

Diaz rushed from his tent, weapon at his side, half out of its sheath. He looked over at Belzac with surprise and a questioning look. Perhaps he didn't know of this. Rose looked at the two men, first to Belzac and then to Diaz. As she looked at Diaz, she noticed a smile crawled across his face and began to walk over to the tall man.

"I didn't think I'd see the likes of you around here," Diaz said with a smirk.

"Likewise. You look terrible..." Belzac raising an eyebrow.

Diaz touched the cut on his face. I guess Shirley didn't heal him, thought Rose. Diaz looked back at Belzac and chuckled. Belzac bowed and Diaz did as well. The immense size of Belzac almost closed the distance between the two men. Both men straightened and Belzac turned his attention to Rose.

"Is this your lookout?" Belzac jibed. "A little young, don't you think?"

"Hey!" Rose pouted.

"Now that you mention it, why WERE you out this early?" Diaz asked.

"Just thought I would start a fire," she said, pointing.

They looked at the fire, which had almost gone out. She quickly added more wood and the flames quickly sprang to life. Diaz laughed under his breath and held his hand out to Belzac, welcoming him to the camp. Belzac stuck his hand in the air and snapped his fingers. The men up the trail noticed the signal and they marched into camp. They quickly began setting up a tent. They were working feverishly and had the base structure up in no time. Rose looked at Diaz who was staring into the sky, watching the rising sun. Rose had never seen him admiring his surroundings. It gave her a sense of humbleness that she never noticed in Diaz. As she stared at Diaz, she was surprised to hear a man from the 88th platoon scream, "DONE!" She looked at him and back to Diaz who was looking at the ground and shaking his head.

"Three minutes..." Diaz stated. "They're slipping Belzac. Your platoon used to have the best set-up time!"

Rose looked at him and rolled her eyes.

"Of course..." she muttered under her breath.

"We lost some men on the way here," Belzac reported. "We were ambushed by several Winglies. Don't worry, we took care of them, but we paid a heavy price."

"I'm sorry to hear that," Diaz said seriously. "I'm glad that you can join with us. We can use the help with where we're going."

"Hmph... And who is the girl?" Belzac asked, motioning to Rose.

"Oh, we picked her up in Caldera. She showed some potential," Diaz nodded.

"Some?" she said sarcastically.

"Heh, she has wit quicker than a fox," Belzac chuckled, shaking the ground around him.

"A blade just as fast, too," Diaz admitted.

"Well, that's promising," Blezac agreed.

Rose dismissed the compliment quickly. She knew it wouldn't last long with Diaz's sarcasm. Diaz and Belzac started talking of events that happened quite recently. Most of it, Rose could barely understand. She walked back to the carriage to see Shirley sitting up, looking drawn and tired. The dark bags under her eyes made it evident that she didn't get much sleep last night. Rose went over to her and sat in the seat across from her. Rose knew what she had to do, but Shirley may not comply.

"Rough night?" Rose asked.

"Tell me about it..." she trailed off, rubbing her head. "Some of the men were hurt way beyond a normal healer's capabilities."

"But, you're no normal healer."

Shirley looked at Rose with a dangerous look. Rose knew she had crossed over a line. She looked away and Shirley kept staring.

"How do you figure?" Shirley asked through thin eyes.

"It's because of the orb in your pack," Rose said coolly.

"Well, maybe I'm just a very experienced healer," she replied in defense.

"I'm not saying you aren't. I'm saying that your healing abilities are greatly augmented by that Spirit!" Rose pushed further.

"Spirit?"

"Um... yes. That orb is a Spirit. And I need you to let me see it again."

"A Spirit from what?"

If she told her what kind of Spirit it is, she may become frightened of it. The last thing she needs is to scare a potential Dragon's partner. But there is the possibility that she will embrace the power. What should she do?

"Well?" Shirley asked expectantly.

"It's... a Spirit..." Rose started.

"A Spirit?"

"A Dragon's Spirit," Rose said, wincing at her lack of subtlety.

Shirley looked at her and Rose looked back. Shirley lightly took the orb from her pack and looked at it.

"So this little white orb is a Dragon Spirit," Shirley said, furrowing her brow.

"Yes," Rose confirmed.

"And this little thing comes from an aggressive beast that only knows to destroy."

"You're wrong about Dragons."

"Wrong?" Shirley asked shocked. "Please indulge me!"

"Well, some Dragons are aggressive, yes," Rose admitted. "But there are a few Dragons in the world that have personalities, and those produce these stones."

She took out the other Spirits and all three resonated. The carriage filled with light. The white Spirit showed brighter than the others. Rose believed this was because it was newly activated. Shirley dropped the orb and brought her hands to her chest. Rose quickly put the orbs away.

"What did you do!" Shirley shrieked.

"I activated your Spirit," Rose said calmly. "I just set another Dragon's soul free from its stone prison."

"I don't understand!"

"I told you. The orb in your possession is a Dragon's Spirit. And the only way for that Dragon's soul to awaken was to bring it into contact with other souls, as I did with the red and the green."

"S-s-so..." Shirley stammered, trying to make sense of all this. "T-t-this Dragon is free?"

"The soul, yes," Rose nodded.

"But... where is it? Where did it go?" Shirley asked, looking around nervously.

"If I told you, you wouldn't understand," Rose shook her head. "Maybe you can experience it for yourself. I'm not sure."

"I don't understand what you're saying."

"Don't let it bother you. You may not even be one of the Chosen."

"Chosen? For what?"

"To wield the power of the Dragon."

Shirley looked at Rose, her face drained of blood and looking pale. She looked at the orb and back to Rose. She looked back at the orb and bent down to pick it up. She was about to speak when Rose got up and left the carriage. Rose looked back to see Shirley staring at the orb and tucking it safely in the pocket of her pack. Diaz came swiftly over to her and wanted to talk.

"What was all the commotion?" Diaz asked.

"There is something I have to tell you first," she said.

Rose told him about the dream, if it was one, she had the night before. She told him of the holes in the walls of the coliseum and the beautifully crafted arches. She told him of the two Dragons she had spoken to and what they told her about the Spirits and how they must be activated.

"It is apparent that what you had was not a dream," Diaz said, impressed. "You had a vision."

"Is that possible?" Rose asked skeptically.

"With Dragons, anything is possible," Diaz answered. "A Dragon's magic is powerful and cannot be measured. It is said that the depths of their magic can match any ocean in this world."

"I suppose..."

"And what happened in the carriage?"

Rose told him of the Spirit that Shirley had. She told him that she activated the Spirit and that she didn't take it too well.

"I don't suspect she'll take it lightly," he said looking at the carriage. "It was hard for you, wasn't it?"

"Yeah, it was," Rose admitted.

"Give her time. She will get over it. Now, about these Spirits, it seems they are assembling themselves. So should we travel and just hope that they fall into our possession?"

"Well, the Dragon said to search. I think they will try their best to find us but there will be some we have to find," Rose speculated.

"I agree," he nodded confidently. "Well, there isn't much more we can do. Tomorrow we reach Jokuhl. We will take a three day ferry to Port Belliver. From there, we go to Anchorhead, the Desert City."

Rose had never been on a ferry, let alone seen a large body of water. The thought excited and frightened her, but she wasn't sure which emotion took the backseat. The platoon quickly packed up and made a quick meal before setting off up the trail toward Jokuhl. They started off slow but they picked up around midday. Many of the soldiers talked with each other about their accomplishments in previous battles. The new arrivals and additions to the platoon gave a little buzz of conversation to all the soldiers. Rose listened in on many of the stories, many of which she could tell were highly exaggerated. Whenever someone from the 88th platoon asked her why she was there, she couldn't answer. She didn't know what to say to them. But many of them avoided her. She listened in on a closer group of soldiers speaking of her vanquishing of the Dragon in Attucks. This she thought intimidated them. Distancing themselves from her was understandable. Not many of them had even seen a Dragon let alone defeated one. She looked down at the dirt as she passed over it, counting the largest pebbles to pass the time. She looked up for a brief second to see Belzac hanging back and stopping right next to her.

"I hear you are quite the fighter," said Belzac, starting the small talk.

"I learned from the best," Rose said proudly.

"Diaz? He's not the best, heh!"

"I never learned from Diaz."

"Oh, consider yourself lucky," Belzac looked up as if to reminisce. "I was once his victim."

"But, aren't you two evenly ranked?"

"No, he is two ranks higher. My commanding officer perished in battle and I was next in command."

"I'm sorry," Rose said sadly.

"No need for apologies. All who enlisted know the risks of being a soldier," Belzac said with conviction. "So, why are you with this platoon? How old are you?"

"I'm twelve."

"Twelve! How did you get caught up in this crew?"

"Well, Caldera was evacuating and I had nowhere else to go, so I went with him."

"Lousy luck, getting stuck with him," Belzac laughed.

"Tell me about it..." she huffed. "So how did you end up in the army?"

"Well, my village was destroyed by the Winglies and wanted a little payback."

"Did you get it?"

"Some, but not enough."

"I guess I'm doing this for payback... But I'm not sure..." she ruminated.

"What did the beasts do to you?" he asked innocently.

"They burned my home and killed my family..."

Rose noticed that she said this in an irritated tone. Belzac went pale and dropped his head. No, she wasn't upset with him but she never really felt comfortable discussing her past with people she just met four hours ago. She reassured Belzac that she wasn't angry at him and he softened up a bit.

"You have been through more than most," he said, impressed. "And you still live on... you must have a soul of steel."

"I don't know about that," she admitted, belittling herself. "A lot has happened lately and I don't know what to do anymore."

"All you can do is keep going. That's what I did when I was in your situation."

"How so?"

"Well, if you hadn't noticed already, I am quite large."

Rose looked him up and down and, without question, nodded.

"Well, that's because I'm not exactly human," he said.

Rose looked at him and a smile crawled onto his face.

"Then what are you?" she asked.

"Don't get me wrong, I have some human in me, only half though," Belzac revealed. "I am also part Giganto."

Rose stopped walking and stared at him. Giganto? 'How can that be?' she thought. She thought they were only a legend. Not only did she think they didn't exist, she heard in stories that they were a savage people, very primitive in nature and couldn't speak. She was standing still for so long, one of the soldiers behind her poked her with the butt of his spear to get her moving again. She started walking and looked back giving an angered look at him, who just shrugged and continued onward.

"Half Giganto? That's hard to believe!" Rose guffawed.

"Ask Diaz. He is a full grown human. There is no possible way I could be just human and be this large," Belzac pointed out.

He chuckled loudly and Rose was filled with more questions.

"You had problems when you were young? Couldn't you have put an end to that with your size and strength?" Rose supposed.

"No, I would never even think of it," he said shaking his large head. "I had it hard because I was rejected by both races, humans and Gigantos. If I fought back, I would have been even more of a reject."

A reject... was she a reject?

"But your fighting skill is apparent! How come you aren't a General!" Rose asked astonished.

"Discrimination," he stated. "Some of the higher-ups think that once I make it to the top, I'll kick the rest of them down so I can be number one. They are afraid of me. That's where discrimination is born. Fear of different people, things, events, all fear causes hatred."

"I see..."

Her fears... does she discriminate?

"I think I'm gonna go into the carriage," she said, rubbing her sore arm. "I need a little rest."

"You do that," he said nodding. "I hear Diaz starts your training tonight. Don't roll your eyes! It's tough work. He'll make you break a sweat before you can say, "No Sweat.""

"I'll keep that in mind. Nice talking to you."

Rose slowed up until the carriage was at her side. She hopped onto the step and pulled the curtain aside and let herself in. Shirley sat with her legs up on the opposite seat. Diaz sat on the same seat as Shirley with a large map rolled out in front of him, making small marks with a quill. She sat across from him and untied her sword from her waist.

"Wow, I'm beat," Rose sighed, plopping into the seat.

"Don't get too tired," Diaz said, not lifting his gaze. "I want you to have some strength for tonight."

"Yeah, I heard. I suppose Belzac knows what he's talking about when it comes to your training exercises?"

"Yes, he does. And don't think I'll go easy on you because you're young."

"I didn't think you would."

"Well, don't bring her back to me so banged up that she'll be sore for weeks," Shirley chimed into the conversation.

"Come now, I'm bad but I'm not THAT bad," Diaz pleaded.

Rose watched Shirley as she stared out the window. She noticed Shirley began to doze off and had almost fallen asleep. Rose thought for a second about what the Dragons had said the night before. "The other Dragon will have more information for you." Maybe it will have more for Shirley too. She didn't know whether Shirley would be the Chosen for that Dragon, but it's worth a shot. Rose leaned back and closed her eyes, trying hard to fall asleep, hoping to be brought back to the coliseum. Some time passed and she opened her eyes, looking directly out the window. The sun had almost completely set and Shirley was gone. The carriage had stopped moving and all of Diaz's maps were folded nicely on the seat in a tall pile. She pulled the curtain aside and hopped out. She stretched her arms as she looked around. All the soldiers were gathered around several small campfires, eating their odd mixture of vegetables and meats. Diaz came over to her and handed her a cup of soup.

"Eat quickly," he said shortly. "You start after you finish. When you do, get your sword, and meet me in a clearing one hundred yards beyond the tree line."

"What, not enough time in the night?" she asked jokingly.

"At the rate we're going, you need all the time we can get."

She swallowed the food without even tasting it and grabbed her sword from the carriage seat. She walked into the trees, following the small path leading to the large clearing. The clearing was very secluded, boulders lined the edge of it and there was a small cliff off to the side where a spring deposited water into a small pool below, slow drip by slow drip. The water was crystal clear as if it had never been touched by human hands. This place seems like it was arranged.

"You ready?" he asked her.

"I should be," she answered, pursing her lips.

"Then let's get started. Tell me, what terms do you know about fighting?"

Terms? She never knew any terms. She learned by watching. Hearing what was being said would have been a plus but she didn't know a single one.

"Um... fighting terms..." she said, thinking. "I'm not sure..."

"I thought so," he closed his eyes, nodding. "You are strictly a watching type. If you see it, you can perform it. Since I know this, I won't have to explain what the name of each form is to save time. But tonight, you will not be learning forms. You will be learning how to learn."

"Learn to learn?"

"Precisely."

"And how are you going to teach me that?" she asked, placing her hands on her hips.

"Learning a form is not just looking at it. You need to know it. You need to be able to perform it without error forward and in reverse. Yes, you have a talent for learning forms, but can you do them backwards?"

"Er..."

"I noticed that many of the forms you used, you added your own things to it, making it smoother for your own style of fighting. This is also an enviable talent," he admitted. "But it doesn't work very well, because with each new technique you add, there is another you must prepare for... your enemy's. With each new addition to a form, there is a counter for it, but if you don't know the counter for that move, it can end in disaster. What I want to teach you is to learn a form, make your changes, learn it forward and in reverse and learn the counters for each move. If you do that, you not only will be protected by knowing which counters can go with your moves, so you can prevent injury, but you also know what counters YOU can use on your enemy. Learning all the possibilities in battle will give you the upper hand and will most likely bring you victory."

"I get it," she nodded.

"That's not it," said Diaz, putting up his index finger. "Sometimes forms don't work in battle. The enemy is too random with their own attacks and defenses that you are not sure what will come next. This is what you will experience most in battle with Winglies. They can use magical spells and have greater speed than humans. You must know how to counter their attacks and how to use your own."

"Sounds like a lot."

"Oh, it is. That's why we need a lot of time. I need you to be as experienced as possible when we head to the front line."

"I'm going too!" she shouted before he could say otherwise.

"I'm afraid so. We don't have time to go back to headquarters and give you advanced training, so I will give you training at the advanced level for a few days. Even if we had enough time for your training, you would still come with us to the front line."

"How long will training take?"

"We're going to do the super quick abridged version of fighting. Normal advanced training would take almost three years, which is what you will be doing after we reach the front line."

"Three years!" she asked with surprise.

"Well, maybe your training will be cut short because you're getting a crash course now. But let's stop the chitchat and begin. We don't have all night."

Rose was instructed to do all the forms she could remember, which she did very well. Her memory with forms is very sharp and she can remember the slightest detail, whether it be the footing or the speed of any turns in the form. When Diaz told her to do them backwards, she struggled. She couldn't do anymore than three or four moves into the form before forgetting what came next. Diaz forced her to write the forms down, which was difficult since she didn't know any terms and could barely write at all. She drew symbols to help herself remember and wrote them backwards. Diaz said to do this with every one of her forms and memorize each one backwards. Diaz made this her work to carry over into their next lesson, which wouldn't be for a few days. The ferry, he said, can get very tightly packed around this time of year. They walked through the woods and came to the camp, where they parted until morning.

The moon was at the top of the sky, still very early in the night. She hopped into the carriage, seeing Shirley lying down in her seat, eyes closed and apparently sleeping. Her hands twitched slightly, as if she were dreaming, and she turned over onto her side, facing the back of the carriage. Rose put her sword down lightly so she wouldn't wake her up and lied down on the seat. She put her hands behind her head and stared at the ceiling of the carriage. She felt her eyelids get heavy and she closed them, falling into a deep sleep.

She felt herself drift along, losing all cares, feeling no pain. She heard a light whisper, it was close but seemed like it came from a distance. She searched in her mind for what made the whisper when she heard another. She was then dragged into an empty chasm, the walls were high and jagged and the sky was a dark purple, like her eyes. She looked around only to notice nothing. The stone was cold and she shivered as she walked along the bottom of the chasm, searching for the whisper as it got louder and louder. She came to the end of the chasm, a dark swirl-like portal was in the wall spinning counterclockwise. The whisper was louder than ever. It was coming from the portal, but she still couldn't make it out. She walked up to the portal and was about to touch it when she saw a large, dark figure try to come through. She backed away, mouth gaping at the figure that seemed to grow. It was all dark, no features at all... just dark.

She looked at it and the whisper finally became clear and it sounded throughout the chasm and echoed in her ears. "FREEDOM!" Rose woke up with a start, panting heavily and sweating profusely. She put her hand to her chest and felt her heart racing. What was that? She noticed that the carriage was moving. Had she slept through the morning? She pulled the curtain aside to see Diaz walking beside it. He looked at her with a relieved look on his face.

"You came down with a fever last night," he said, inspecting her appearance. "By the looks of you, I say it broke."

"Fever?" she asked.

"Yeah... Shirley told me about it when she saw you thrashing about like a lunatic."

"Was it really that bad?"

"It was bad," said Shirley, yawning. "If that fever had gotten any worse, you could have died. Just be glad you threw your pouch at me and woke me up."

"Heh, sorry…" Rose apologized.

Rose looked up the trail to see the outline of a town not far ahead. She looked at the sun and noticed it was almost noon. She had slept for a long time.

"Is that Jokuhl?" Rose asked, eyes sparkling.

"It is. We will have one day's rest there and we take the ferry tomorrow. We have the night off for once," Diaz sighed.

"Night off from what? We just started my training last night and I did all the work!"

"Well, you have to do all the work if you are to learn. I'm not the one training."

More sarcasm in his voice made her roll her eyes and mutter under her breath. At least she will get to do something she has wanted to do her whole life, see the largest lake in Endiness. She went back into the carriage and grabbed her pouch from the carpet floor of the carriage. She tied it around her neck and grabbed her sword and put it on the seat with her. She sat there and thought of her dream. Had the fever induced it or did she have another vision? She wasn't sure but she thought the fever played an important role in it. She stuck her head out the window.

"I thought we were going over a mountain range first, the Klains!" Rose wondered.

"Well, things changed since the last time I told you," Diaz said. "Over the past few weeks, my subordinates and I discovered a way around the mountains. It's faster and less dangerous than those treacherous mountain trails."

"I see."

"Just be glad we cut our traveling down by about three weeks."

She pulled her head back into the carriage. She had forgotten how long she had been with them, almost a month. She grabbed her sword and tied it around her waist and left the carriage. She walked alongside Diaz as they entered the town of Jokuhl. The town was very small and the houses were no bigger than many of the shacks in the slums of Caldera. The roads were cobbled with sparkling blue stone that shined with the sun's rays. People on the street stopped their activities to look at the soldiers marching through their small town. Some were awed by them, others angered. They continued through the town, heading to the center so they can speak with the mayor of Jokuhl. As they came to the center square, the buildings grew tall and lined with gold. The mayor's building was in the center, a tall building with old oak doors. The mayor walked out briskly and came up to Diaz, looking both excited and disturbed to see him.

"I don't suppose you have a reason for coming here?" asked the nervous mayor.

"Oh, Syuveil, lighten up. We're just passing through," Diaz said, waving him off.

The mayor had long brown hair and wore glasses. His eyes were emerald green and he wore green and brown clothing. Of all the mayors Rose had seen, this one was the better looking. She thought all mayors were all old men who were in higher office because of experience. This 'Syuveil' seems to be mayor because he is wise.

"Well, I hope you finish up here quickly," Syuveil said smugly. "The townspeople have a bad reputation with passing soldiers."

"They will think twice," Diaz said threateningly. "We will be here for one night. We take the ferry tomorrow."

"So be it. Stay out of trouble," Syuveil huffed.

Rose felt a warmth in her side. She placed her hand there and found it on top of the pouch holding the Green Dragon Spirit. What was going on? The mayor walked away and the warmth subsided. She walked over to Diaz and spoke discreetly.

"Do you know him?"

"Yeah, we were friends when we were younger," he said, somewhat distressed. "We grew apart though. I joined the army and he stayed with the love of his life... books..."

"He seemed... angry."

"Well... because he didn't come with me, I mocked him for it... And I mocked his books."

"I think the Dragon Spirit reacted with him."

"It... Syuveil? No way!" Diaz brushed her off.

"I'm not sure..." she said, pondering. "They have never resonated without being in contact with another Spirit."

"Well... Let's have a little chat with him, shall we?"

Before Rose could speak, Diaz had grabbed her arm and dragged her into the building. Diaz quickly pushed the large double doors open and Syuveil looked up, in shock.

"Something happen already? What a shock!" Syuveil said mockingly.

"There's something we need to talk about. Rose?" Diaz gestured.

Rose looked at Diaz who looked back expectantly. She then looked to Syuveil who put his head in his hand and leaned on it.

"Well?" he asked, staring with his emerald eyes.

Rose took the pouch and gave it to him.

"What's this?" Syuveil asked.

"Open it!" Diaz shouted in frustration.

Syuveil looked at Diaz with a scorning look. He shrugged and opened the pouch. He looked in and looked back at Diaz. He tilted the pouch until the orb fell into his hand. When it touched his palm, it shined with a bright green light that quickly filled the room. Syuveil jumped back and tried to shield his eyes with his other hand. He put it on the desk and walked away from it.

"What is it!" Syuveil yelped in fear.

"Now that's new," Diaz jibed.

Rose looked at it. Whenever Syuveil got closer to it, the brighter it shined.

"It seems to have chosen you," she said to him.

"Chosen me? For what? How can a jewel choose?" Syuveil asked, mind spinning.

Rose explained everything with a little help from Diaz. Syuveil absorbed as much information as he could. He loved to learn. He sat up straight and looked down at the floor.

"I knew before you came that you had changed," the handsome mayor stated.

"Well, it's been years. We all have changed," Diaz pointed out.

"But I didn't think you became crazy."

Syuveil stood up and threw the stone into Diaz's hand.

"Keep your crazy rock. Now go, you're giving me a headache," Syuveil said sternly.

Diaz was surprised by his reaction. Over all the years they had been apart, Syuveil still hasn't gotten over their little skirmish. They both turned around and left through the big double doors. Diaz gave Rose the Spirit and she placed it back in the pouch.

"The Dragon will have to find a new partner," Diaz said with more frustration.

"But... the Dragon picked him!" Rose argued.

"But he doesn't accept. Look, there has to be several thousand worthy people in this world. And even the worthy might not be brave enough to accept their fate."

This was true, but even so, can a Dragon's judgement be overridden? She hoped so. Rose thought about the choices the Dragon's have made. Choosing a bookworm to wield the power of a Dragon may not have been the best choice. Using her as the vessel for the Spirits may not have been the best choice either. She felt doubt start to set in and decided to take a walk. She made her way down the blue roads, looking as the buildings became further apart. She noticed the blue cobble began to diminish and sand was starting to replace the dirt. When she crossed over into sand, she was astonished by the sight of Calgary Lake. The sapphire waves chopped lightly onto the shore leaving small bits of foam on the wet sand. She moved closer to the breaking waves, feeling the coolness of the sand as it soaked up the crisp water. A small wave broke up the shore and rushed by her ankles, giving her a surprise chill. She looked at the choppy water, amazed by the fact that such a thing can exist.

As she gazed into the endless Lake, she heard a yelp. She turned her head to notice a young girl, only a few years younger than she, being picked on by eight or so children. They threw rocks at the girl, hitting her and causing her great pain. She screamed as a rock hit her head and she fell backward into the water. Rose quickly rushed over and pushed three of the children aside and went up to the girl. The girl forced her hands in front of her to protect herself from Rose. Rose noticed she was so frightened, she didn't know she was trying to help her. Rose bent down and put her hand on her shoulder. She immediately stopped thrashing her arms around and looked at her. The young girl was about eight or nine years old. She had striking blue hair and eyes like the Lake itself, deep and sapphire blue. She had tears welling up under them and seemed to be in shock. Rose stood up and turned around.

"You should all be ashamed of..." Rose said trailing off. "Yourselves...?"

She began to speak before she realized all the children were gone, only leaving behind footsteps of frantic escape. She looked back at the girl who was still sitting in the water, about to cry. Rose knelt down beside her in the shallow water.

"Are you alright?" she asked her.

The girl opened her mouth, as if to speak, but couldn't find the words to say. When she came to, she muttered the only word she could muster.

"Yes..."

"That's good. Come on, let's get out of here before they come back," Rose said, pulling her onto her feet.

The girl looked up and nodded. She and Rose walked further up the shore. They sat in the sand, to rest a bit. The girl seemed alright, a few bruises on the arms and legs and a large bump on the head from the last stone. But other than that, Rose noticed, she was dry, completely dry. 'Wasn't she just in the water?' Rose thought.

"Why do you let them pick on you like that?" Rose asked her.

The girl looked down into the sand. She was still in shock and still couldn't find words.

"I suppose you don't know how to defend yourself..." Rose guessed.

The girl shook her head and continued staring into the sand.

"I could teach you, if you like," Rose offered.

She shook her head again. Rose thought she wouldn't. It's hard for someone who hasn't even touched a weapon to learn how to fight with it.

"Well, my name is Rose. What's yours?" Rose asked, smiling.

The girl finally looked up and for the first time, smiled. Her teeth were white, almost resembling the most flawless of pearls. The blue eyes sparkled in the setting sun and gave her a new glow.

"Damia..." she replied weakly.

"Well, it's nice to meet you Damia," Rose said, patting her on the shoulder.

The two girls got up and walked back into town take the blue cobbled roads. Damia seemed to have a bounce in her step and seemed to almost glide above the ground. As they entered a more populated area of Jokuhl, more people seemed to be finishing up their errands before nightfall. Rose noticed the looks on their faces as they saw Damia pass by. They seemed angry and disgusted with her, she couldn't see why. She was a perfectly fine young girl. Her hair might be a strange color, but it is no different than Rose and her eyes.

"These people don't seem very... pleasant," Rose admitted.

"No... They don't like me much," Damia said, sulking.

"Why? What did you do to make them hate you so?"

"It's not what I did... but who... what my parents did," she said, lowering her head.

"Being blamed for your parent's mishaps. That must be hard..."

"Not as hard as you think... But it can get very frustrating."

"Where do you live?"

"Anywhere I want."

"You don't have any parents?"

"They left me a few years ago..."

"Wow..." Rose glanced at her. "You're a lot like me..."

"Really? How?"

"I grew up without parents. It's very hard to do. But, what did your parents do that made them have to leave you?"

Damia hung her head and spoke lower.

"I grew up without a mother... she didn't die or anything... but she lives somewhere else," Damia replied, her gaze wandering.

"Somewhere else?" Rose inquired.

"In the lake."

"'In' the lake?"

"My mother is a mermaid," Damia said, blushing.

Rose almost couldn't believe it. Mermaid? Those existed? Rose had never seen a mermaid before. She had only heard tales of people with fins who lived underwater. She dismissed it as another myth. But, like the Gigantos, she thought they were only in tales too. But her being a mermaid explains a lot of things. Her being dry instantly after being in the water seems to fit now.

"And your father?" Rose wondered.

"He lived with me for some time, but he received a lot of pressure from other townspeople. He eventually couldn't take it and left," said Damia with resentment.

"Why didn't he take you?"

"He thought I would ruin him in other towns too."

This made Rose feel pity for her. Rose wasn't abandoned by her parents, they died. This girl was willingly left alone, which made her feel even worse. Suddenly, Rose had an idea.

"Why don't you come with me!" Rose asked her out-of-the-blue.

"What?" Damia said, taken aback.

"I'm traveling with a group of soldiers. They will most likely evacuate this town too and you won't have anywhere to go. Why not come with us?" Rose's eyes lit up.

"But... will that be alright?"

"Sure! I can even teach you to fight. You won't have to take anything those kids give you anymore."

Damia thought for a minute. She looked around to see all the townspeople scowling at her. She looked back at Rose who gave her a reassuring look.

"You won't have to take this anymore," Rose persuaded.

She looked around again. She looked at each building and face, searching for a reason to stay. She looked back at Rose, which made it apparent that she couldn't find one.

"Ok..." Damia caved. "I'll go with you."


	6. Chapter 6

_**Chapter 6**__: Anchorhead_

Rose and Damia walked up the hill and reached the camp of soldiers. The tents were up and everyone was preparing for the night. Diaz saw Rose and signaled to her to come into the carriage.

"I have to speak with Diaz," Rose said to Damia, holding her shoulders. "I want you to go find Shirley so she can check out those wounds on your head. She's not hard to find since she's the only other woman not dressed in armor."

"Ok..." Damia said sadly.

"Don't worry. I'll be back soon."

Rose walked toward the camp and looked back at Damia who headed into the open tent, in search of Shirley. Rose stepped into the carriage and saw Diaz with the large map unfolded and red Xs all over it, surrounding the Desert City, Anchorhead.

"We have a problem," Diaz blurted immediately.

"What do you mean?" Rose replied with surprise.

"Look here..."

Diaz pointed to Anchorhead. The small dot was surrounded by the Xs. Rose looked south of Anchorhead and noticed a set of blue Xs, to counteract the red. Diaz's finger rested on the blue section.

"These are our forces," he said, tapping his finger. "The red points here are the enemy."

"Winglies?" she asked scornfully.

"Yes. They have been besieging Anchorhead for months and have yet to breach the wall. We have been holding them off for quite a while. But we have received word that they are bringing in one of their senior officers to lead a final siege. We have to get there as soon as possible so we can back up our forces."

"A senior officer? What makes him so special? What makes him so different from you?"

"With humans, yes, the only thing that sets us apart in ranks is experience," Diaz folded his arms. "But with the Winglies, their ranks might be determined by power."

"So, this man is not to be taken lightly," Rose added weakly.

"Correct. We have to get there quickly or it might be too late, which is why my subordinates and I have come up with a plan that will ensure a swift arrival. It may be a risk but we have no choice."

"Why do I have a bad feeling about this?" Rose stared at him. "What is the plan?"

"We will commandeer the ferry to leave earlier and we will alter the ship's sails to make it move faster."

"You're going to steal a ship! Are you insane!" Rose yelled, dumbfounded.

"Commandeer..." Diaz corrected. "We are going to commandeer the ship. We can do this because we are the military and this is a desperate time calling for desperate measures."

"Even so, this city hates us enough already!"

"Well, then they can hate us a little bit more. This must be done for our warriors fighting out there."

Rose shook her head and left the carriage. She saw Shirley quickly leave the tent and come up to her looking flushed and nervous. She noticed that Shirley had mounted the white orb on a chain and was wearing it around her neck.

"Who was the girl?" Shirley asked quietly.

"She's an orphan of the city," Rose said, furrowing her brow. "No one likes her here so I offered her a ride with us."

"She is a little more than an orphan."

"What?" Rose asked, tilting her head.

Shirley got into a whole recollection of the events of the past few minutes.

"When she came to be examined, I bent down to inspect her bruises when the orb flashed. I looked at her and she was engulfed in a blue light..." Shirley mimicked a shining light. "Next thing I know, she's completely cured."

"Blue light?" Rose questioned.

"I think she has one..." Shirley said bluntly.

Shirley could be right. Rose wouldn't be surprised either. The Dragons are trying their hardest to assemble themselves. Making Syuveil one of the Chosen and having this young girl carrying it is a little desperate of them, but whatever must be done to assemble them, they are doing. Rose walked quickly to the tent, seeing Damia eating a piece of bread. Rose sat across from her in a chair and looked at her until she looked back with a questioning expression.

"Did I do something wrong?" Damia asked, her face growing sad.

"No, no, of course not," Rose assured her. "I want to know if you remember anything about when Shirley went to heal you."

"I do, actually," Damia brightened up immediately. "She used this brilliant white light! She is quite the healer!"

"You didn't notice anything else?"

"Not that I know of, no."

"Hm... you wouldn't happen to have a blue orb, would you?"

"Blue orb?" Damia asked innocently.

"Like this."

She took out the red orb and showed it to Damia. Her eyes widened and she knew what Rose meant now.

"How did you know?" Damia asked with fervor.

"Shirley has one too. It reacted with yours," Rose said truthfully.

Damia took a chain from her neck, a blue orb hung from the end and dangled from it; it glowed brightly with a blue light and joining it, the red. Rose put it away quickly so it did not attract attention. Damia was amazed at the light and, like a little child, wanted to do it again. She was disappointed when Rose turned her down and she left the tent. Shirley approached Rose in the tent to confirm her findings.

"You were right," Rose said, kicking dirt. "We found another."

"That's good..." replied Shirley nervously.

"I see you've accepted what you hold."

"I put a lot of thought into it and I might as well. Plus, it looks nice on me, doesn't it?"

Rose nodded absent-mindedly. But why did she accept it?

"When did you change your mind?" Rose wondered.

"Well... I had this dream," Shirley blinked.

"A dream? What was in it?"

"Well," Shirley started. "I was in this meadow and I looked up into this black sky and saw a white speck. As I stared at it, it grew larger and larger until I had realized that it was a purely white Dragon! It came down closer. I tried to run but my legs wouldn't respond. Then, it scooped me up in its large claws and flew to a weird structure... some sort of stadium. It landed in the middle of it and stopped in front of a large hole in the wall. I looked up at the arch and noticed strange characters on it. I tried to read it but I didn't understand the language. Then I woke up..."

Rose knew exactly what she was talking about. She knows the meadow and the black sky and the coliseum. Maybe Shirley was Chosen by the Dragons. Only time will tell.

"You should pay attention to your dreams now..." Rose said nodding. "Especially now that you have that."

Rose pointed to the white orb and Shirley looked down at it. Rose exited the tent to see Damia standing next to the carriage. Damia skipped toward Rose and smiled.

"So what was that stuff about fighting?" Damia asked, inclining her head.

"I'll have to ask Diaz. I learn from him so if you want to learn too, he might as well teach you too," Rose told her.

"Teach what?" said a voice from behind.

Diaz came up behind them with his papers in hand and a pencil behind his ear.

"She is coming with us," said Rose with assertion.

"Is she now?" he asked, taking the pencil from his ear and putting it in his mouth. "Well, I didn't give the okay yet. Now tell me, why does she come along?"

"She has a..." she replied, her voice trailing to a whisper. "…an orb."

"This little girl does? She has a Spirit?"

"SH!" she cringed, placing her hand over his mouth.

"Spirit?" asked Damia raising her eyebrow.

Rose grabbed Diaz's arm and pulled him aside. If Damia knew what she has around her neck, she may grow fearful of it.

"We have to keep it a secret. We don't want to scare her!" she whispered to him.

"I see... fine." Diaz nodded.

"She also wants to learn how to fight. Can she tag along with us in the lessons?"

"It will be hard to catch her up because by the looks of it, she has never touched a weapon in her life. But I suppose she can learn something from it. Fine, she can come along."

"Good... when is out next lesson?" Rose asked excitedly.

"Well, not tonight. We have…" Diaz looked up, searching for a word. "…a lot to accomplish tonight. I may be able to squeeze one in on our way to Anchorhead."

"Will we really be moving that quickly?"

"We can only stop once on our journey. We will be going day and night so we reach Anchorhead before the Winglies get their commander."

"Day and night!" Rose said astonished.

"We have to get there in time," Diaz sighed. "If we don't... there will be hell to pay."

Diaz went into the large tent and Rose turned to Damia and acted as if that didn't happen.

"It's going to be a while," Rose said folding her arms. "We won't get much sleep tonight either. We have to take the ferry to the north shore so we can reach Anchorhead."

"Tonight? But doesn't the ferry leave tomorrow?" she asked, confused.

"Not anymore..." Rose winked.

"Oh... so we really are leaving... I never thought I would leave this place."

"Even when you got older? You never thought of where you might be then?"

"You don't get much time to think on the future when the now is like this."

Damia's wisdom surprised Rose. For such a young girl, she knew a lot more than most. But Rose isn't that much older herself. She knew she was a lot more mature for her age, as is Damia. The Dragons chose a strange crowd. Diaz came out of the tent and walked toward the girls with soup and bread in hand.

"You two should get as much sleep as you can after you eat this," Diaz handed them their food. "We leave at midnight."

"Do we really leave so early?" Damia asked. "The ferry never had departures that early in the night."

"The ferry will have a late departure tonight for the first time. I saw to it."

"Eat up," Rose told her. "We should sleep soon."

Rose quickly drank the soup and ate the bread and went into the carriage and sat on her normal seat. Damia followed shortly after and sat opposite her.

"What do you do for fun around here?" Damia asked curiously.

"Fun? I never really thought about it..." Rose said, her head in her hands. "I guess annoying Diaz is my entertainment. We don't really have time for fun, though. We need to have our strength when we get on the ferry."

"Do we really need to sleep? Why can't we just stay up?"

"You can if you want, but I was sick recently and I need sleep."

"Ok..."

The boredom in her voice made Rose smile. Damia lied down and stared at the ceiling of the carriage. Rose rolled over and closed her eyes, searching for sleep. She felt herself fall into a dark abyss and a feeling of being embraced. She opened her eyes to see nothing but the approaching coliseum. She landed softly in the sand and the Dragons were already waiting for her.

"You are doing well," the Red Dragon yawned. "Two more Dragons have come here."

"Where are they?" Rose asked, scanning the stadium.

"They wait for you. Enter the cave to the right of mine."

Rose took her first step toward the cave. And both Dragons watched as she did so. She slowly approached the cave and stopped in front of it, staring at the arch. She saw the strange characters Shirley spoke of. They were oddly shaped glyphs with several curls and very artistically carved into stone. She examined the arch and found two more sets of glyphs, one being across the top and the others down the sides. She heard a snort coming from behind her and she swivelled around on her foot to see the Red Dragon urging her on. She turned to face the cave again and continued to walk into its dark depths.

When it became completely dark, she called out, only the words that came from her were in a different tongue. She covered her mouth with her hands as if she uttered an unforgivable curse. She removed them and said anything that came to mind. She was astonished to figure out that she was speaking another language, not her own. She turned back to leave this wretched place only to notice the entrance was gone. She turned around again and lost all sense of direction. She was trapped in darkness and couldn't find her way out. She spun around frantically, searching for anything that may lead her out of the darkness. She turned again and called out in the strange language only to hear one thing, silence.

She dropped to her knees and dipped her head low, losing all hope. She felt another embrace, but this was different. It felt warm and full of energy and gave her a sense of security she only felt in her own thoughts. She opened her eyes to see her hands lit up as if in sunlight. She lifted her head and saw a white Dragon standing in front of her. The Dragon lowered its head until its eyes were level with hers. The eyes were a sterling silver with a dark black pupil disrupting the bright colors. This Dragon had no spikes and the claws were like flawless pearls; they reminded Rose of the Red Dragon's single white clawed foot. Rose caught a glimpse of the wings. They were broad and longer than the Dragon itself. The membranes between the finger-like bones that ran through the entire wing were a bright blue, giving a splash of color in the pure white Dragon's appearance. The tail was long and slender. When it reached the end, however, it thickened into a club. The Dragon spoke in a delicate, sweet, flowing voice that seemed oddly high for a creature of its size. The Dragon's forked tongue flitted between its sharp teeth as it spoke. Rose could assume it was a female just from the voice alone. And the voice, strangely, was in the same language Rose was speaking earlier.

"So you are the one..." the White Dragon inclined her head. "I have been told that you were young, but not THIS young."

Rose was amazed that she understood the language she spoke. She had heard this language for the first time a minute earlier and understood it already?

"They wouldn't have chosen me if I couldn't handle the task," Rose said confidently.

"Wise words, little one, but do you know your own Dragon?"

"I have yet to meet her, no," Rose shook her head.

"Too bad... with your powers tapped, you could easily find the others."

"Tapped powers?"

"The orbs, Dragon Spirits, are the souls of Dragons as you know already... But do you know what they do?"

"No," Rose shook her head again. "The other Dragons said I need to find that out for myself."

"That is true, but I can tell you some things about them," said the White Dragon, nostrils flaring. "The Dragon Spirits are not made for shining. They are made for joining the souls of Dragons and the chosen creature."

"They join?"

"The souls and hearts and brains, they all join together, creating a being with amazing strength, intelligence, speed, even the power of magic is made possible."

"Magic?" Rose said, eyes widening.

"I'm sorry if this confuses you, but you do not know of these things yet. When you learn of them, you will understand more."

"It doesn't confuse me... it's just... how is that possible?"

"Anything is possible," the Dragon said, clicking her claws. "Anything with two souls will be greatly augmented, usually taking on the characteristics of the soul misplaced."

"What do you mean 'soul misplaced'?"

"The two souls must reside in a host body. The original soul of the host owns that body. Any soul that leaves its body by either death or force is a misplaced soul."

"So you are a misplaced soul?" Rose inquired.

"Correct. The host body, Shirley, will be my vessel."

"So you did choose Shirley!" Rose exclaimed.

"That I did," the Dragon said definitively. "Now, I suppose you would like to meet your dragon?"

"Of course! The others said that it had always been with me, whenever I was alone..."

"I have only one thing to say on the matter, maybe the other Dragon can give more..." the White Dragon's sliver eyes came closer. "When you fight the darkness, you only fight yourself."

Rose looked into the silver eyes and the White Dragon disappeared. She looked around only seeing nothing once more. She felt the ground leave her feet and she fell into the soft sand of the coliseum. The Dragons appeared to her, Green, Red, and White. They all motioned for her to go into the next cave. She followed their orders without protest and quickly entered the cave. As she walked into the darkness once more, she thought about the White Dragon's information. Joining souls, underlying powers, and darkness within, her thoughts on these made her head spin. When she noticed that the entrance had disappeared, she called out. She was glad to see that her language had changed back to her own.

She continued walking until the ground left her feet once more. She awaited the feeling of sand underneath her feet but that didn't come. She looked down to see a large pool of water. When she noticed that she wasn't stopping, she started to flail in the air. Rose didn't know how to swim! What will she do! She felt the water surround her and the cold hit her like blades slashing through her skin. She held her breath while kicking and flailing her arms, trying to break the surface of the water to welcome that fresh air. She began to feel lightheaded. All the energy she had was quickly being sapped by the cold and the old air that filled her lungs. She slowed her movements and she felt more pressure on her body. She was sinking and burning all her energy just to get further down than before. As she had begun to close her eyes and black out, she felt movement under her and with the last of her strength, she looked down into the eyes of a sapphire blue Dragon.

The Dragon quickly scooped her up in its webbed claw and thrust her upward out of the water and onto invisible dry land. She panted heavily and tried to stand but she couldn't find the energy for it. Her head slowly cleared and she stared into the darkness to see an endless ocean. She wrung her hair of water and slowly stood up. Her legs wobbled as she straightened up. She looked at the ripples in the water and the water began to rise in a mound. She looked down to see the Dragon surfacing. As it broke the surface, a wall of frigid water splashed Rose. She shivered as the air hit her skin, making it even colder. The Dragon watched through deep blue eyes as she dried herself off. Rose finally looked up at the Dragon and noticed it was different from the others. The neck was very long, almost the complete body length of the Dragon. Spikes ran down from the top of the head to the very tip of the tail. Between the spikes, membranes of scaly skin connected each. The Dragon's face was also different. Instead of a short, dull snout, the face was long and pointed with teeth lining the outside of the mouth. Slits for nostrils covered half the snout and along the neck were several slits, which Rose took for gills.

She looked down into the water to see the feet of the Dragon. Each claw was just as blue as the large scales of the hide and between the claws were webbed membranes to increase dexterity in the water. The wings were also different. They were short and pointed at the end of each digit that ran through it. As they furthered from the body, the width doubled, making it easy for the Dragon to envelope itself in its own wings. This Dragon was perfect for the sea. Water sheeted off its scales as easy as sand would on stone. The Dragon's voice was also high, though not as high as the White Dragon's. Rose knew this Dragon was a female as well. The Dragon spoke but her mouth did not move. She spoke completely using telepathy. Rose felt the Dragon pry into her mind to make herself heard. The presence felt warm and welcoming so she did not fight it.

"So you are the one. I have been waiting," the Dragon spoke.

Rose did not know whether to speak normally or to use her mind, but she had never done that before. She decided to speak the way she always has.

"I'm glad you came. I almost died!" Rose said thankfully.

"Don't worry. I had everything under control. I was teaching you a very important fact," she replied, inclining her head.

"And to do this, you had to bring me to an inch from death?" Rose said, annoyed.

"You have breathed air your entire life. You know nothing of what it is like to breathe water. Tell me, why didn't you breathe the water in?"

"Because it would have killed me!" Rose yelled instinctually.

"Why?"

Rose didn't know much about the human anatomy, but she knew the basic organs and how they worked and what is needed to perform the normal duties.

"I'm not sure..." Rose admitted. "It just wouldn't have worked."

"Exactly," the Dragon's head nodded. "Your body is not made for the respiration of water. You cannot diffuse the certain gases in the water with the equipment you are born with. But I do not mean to speak of water. Do you know why we just don't pick one person at random to be our companions?"

"You mean..." Rose looked into her deep sapphire eyes. "You don't pick at random?"

"Correct. We choose the people who have what it takes. We choose the people who are born with the ability to be with us. Just like some are born with gills to breathe underwater, some are born with the proper soul made for hosting Dragons."

"I see... so Syuveil and Shirley had what it takes not because you chose, but because you were destined to be companions."

"You are a smart girl. And you have another one you forgot."

"Who!" Rose asked eagerly.

"The mermaid girl."

"Damia! But she's so young!" Rose objected.

"So are you. But we have faith in you to bring us together. Age matters not in these times. We Dragons do not join with those who are the perfect being. It's quite the opposite. We join with those who are incomplete, half of a soul. When we join our souls, we complete each other, becoming the perfect being," the Dragon flapped its large wings.

"I understand..."

"Do you? Your soul has never been complete. Therefore, you cannot know what a complete soul feels like. Would you like to feel complete?"

"Yes," Rose nodded sadly.

"Do you remember what the White Dragon told you? About your Dragon?"

"Um... 'If I fight the darkness, I'm only fighting myself.'" Rose reiterated. "But what does that have to do with my Dragon?"

"The darkness IS your Dragon."

The words rang clearly in her head, playing over and over until it finally sank in. How can darkness be a Dragon?

"But..." Rose began to argue. "If the darkness is my Dragon, and the White Dragon said—"

"Then you would be correct," the Dragon stated firmly. "The darkness, your Dragon, lies within you."

"But... How can that be! How can a Dragon be inside me! ME!"

"That is why you never feel alone. It is why you have those oddly colored eyes. Many people have commented on them, I can see in your memories. That is because it is beyond human ability to have those eyes. It is why you were able to defeat that Carrier Dragon on the mountain of Attucks. It is why... you were able to survive the days you traveled after your father and brother were murdered in cold blood. Your Dragon has saved you many times, but you have shied away from the darkness. To meet your Dragon, you cannot turn away from the darkness. No... You must turn into it! Embrace it! Welcome it into your very soul! Then, and only then, will you feel complete."

Rose shook her head in denial and forced the Dragon from her mind. She turned around to leave the cave but the entrance did not appear. She turned to go the other way but was in the same place she was before. The Dragon tried to pry into her mind again. Rose fought against it but couldn't keep her out. The Dragon broke through her attempts to stop her and rang in her ears in a booming voice.

"You cannot run from your destiny, Rose. You do not believe in fate, I know, but whether you believe in it or not, it exists. There is something you are destined to do and you must do it or suffer pain of death! And not only your death, but the death of the entire human race!" the Dragon yelled into her mind.

"Then what do I do! How do I do it!" Rose asked, tears beginning to well.

"Continue on, as you are. It will find you in the most dire of situations. And when it does, open yourself to it. If you fight it, you will die."

The Dragon sank back into the water, a giant whirlpool followed. The ground rumbled and Rose tried to keep her balance, but to no avail. She fell into the cold water and spiraled around in the whirlpool, slowly pulling her downward. She tried to flail her arms again, swimming away from the center but the current was too strong. It pulled her to the center and under the water. When she broke through the center, the water disappeared and she fell into the sand of the coliseum. She looked at the other three Dragons. The fourth did not appear. She looked to each Dragon who each looked back with a hardened expression.

"I know this must be hard for you..." the Red Dragon blinked.

"Hard!" Rose asked sarcastically. "That's the understatement of the year!"

"It's hard on all of us," the Jade Dragon admitted. "We are doing everything in our power to help you. You aren't the only one with troubles."

"Sorry... I didn't realize..." Rose said, averting her gaze.

"Don't strain yourself with apologies," the White Dragon drew closer. "Now, you must return to your world."

"Before we send you back, though, we want you to make a promise to us," said the Red Dragon. "Do not tell Diaz anything you have learned tonight."

Rose felt something pry into her mind again. It was familiar so she let it through.

"And tell Damia about me. She will not be afraid," the Blue Dragon stated confidently.

"I promise," Rose affirmed. "It's not like it will be hard."

"Then go on," the Red Dragon said at last.

Rose floated above the ground and the sandy ground rushed away from her. She quickly reunited with her body and woke up. The carriage was moving and Damia was asleep on the other seat. She looked out the window to see that night had fallen and the moon was high indicating it was still early in the night. Diaz approached the carriage and wanted to speak. He spoke in a low, hoarse whisper.

"I'm glad you're awake. We are about to take the ferry," Diaz informed her.

"So we don't need to leave the carriage?" Rose asked, motioning to her sword.

"No, stay in there. It's for the better."

She stayed in the carriage and sat in her seat, staring down at the floor.

"A Dragon... Inside..." Rose mumbled.

Damia stirred and sat up while yawning. She looked at Rose, surprised to see her up.

"So much for staying up the whole night," Rose smirked.

"Hey! I have my limits!" Damia shouted.

"SH! We're heading to the ferry. It's the middle of the night and we don't want to wake people up."

"Yeah, sorry."

"Hey... did you have any strange dreams when you were asleep?"

"Now that you mention it," Damia said, tapping her head. "I did have a very peculiar one. I was in this meadow and I bent down to smell one of the flowers when all of a sudden the floor disappeared and I fell into a lot of water. Something scooped me up and I was in front of this big hole in the wall of a huge stadium! It was pretty."

"Hm, was there anything on the hole?"

"Yeah, actually. There were words above it. They were in the mermaid language. How did you know?" she asked Rose, eyes bright.

"Um... I had the same dream," Rose lied.

"Really? I didn't know something like that could happen."

"Yeah, it happens... especially with these."

Rose removes the red orb and flashes it at Damia. Damia removed her blue orb and held it in her palm. Rose covered her orb quickly to prevent the flash of red and blue light. She put it away quickly; Damia kept it in the palm of her hand.

"The orbs are more than jewelry. They are souls," Rose revealed.

"Souls?" Damia asked. "Whose soul?"

"It may be hard to believe, but the souls of Dragons are in these orbs."

"Hm... It's not that hard to believe."

"What? But... you hold a life in your hand!"

"I know. My mother once told me about the legends of the sea. She told me of the beginning of the underwater city, Aglis, and that it was attacked long ago."

"Aglis? It exists!" Rose was astonished.

"It is very much real. It was attacked by a large Sea Dragon. It attacked Aglis every night until it was defeated by Raynor, the former King of Aglis."

"But... how did the orb come into your possession?" Rose asked.

"My mother gave it to me when I first met her," Damia stared at the orb. "She told me it was her father's."

"You mean...?"

"That's what I thought. I think my mother was implying that she was princess of Aglis."

"So, you're a princess?"

"I guess, if that's how it works..." Damia shrugged.

She's a princess! Rose shifted in her seat uncomfortably and buckled on her sword to distract herself.

"But, I thought you never met your mother," Rose wondered.

"I never said that," Damia admitted. "When I was five, I was on the beach when she found me there. We talked for the longest time."

"I'm sure that must have been great."

"It was."

"So... do mermaids still exist?" Rose asked curiously.

"I'm sure they do. Aglis is well protected by the many creatures of the sea as well as the powers of the King."

"Is he really that powerful?"

"I don't know. I've never seen him."

"Hm..."

"What's wrong?" Damia asked.

"Nothing... I suggest you keep that as close to your body as you can. It's important that you keep it safe at all times."

"Is it really all that important?" Damia scoffed.

"More than you know," Rose nodded. "The Dragon you saw in your dream was yours. She chose you as a companion, so you must be... um... you must be her friend."

"A Dragon as a friend? I don't understand..."

"You will soon," said Rose, closing her eyes.

Damia sat there, confusion evident in her face. She clipped the chain with the orb around her neck and sat on her hands. The carriage slowed to a stop and the soldiers unsheathed swords. Diaz's whispers were heard through the window. His orders were followed quickly by the soldiers.

"Untie the ferry and bring the boarding platform over!" Diaz commanded.

Rose looked out to see Belzac carrying the platform with ease. He laid it between the boat and the dock, making a quick bridge. The carriage was quickly coaxed onto the ship and the recruits came after. A shout came from the beach and everything stopped. Clanging armor was heard hurrying down the hills to the dock. Rose looked out the window to see several armed soldiers making their way down the dock toward the ship. Syuveil stood at their head and they stopped several yards away from the ship. Diaz's platoon stood ready, bows strung and knocked, ready for firing. Syuveil's men did the same. He took out a long lance and pointed it to Diaz.

"I knew you would try something foolish!" Syuveil sniggered. "I heard news from Anchorhead. Your arrival was rather timely wouldn't you say? You haven't changed a bit, Diaz! Just because you are the military doesn't mean you have every right to steal city property!"

"You are such a fool!" Diaz yelled. "Don't you realize, Syuveil, that if we don't get to Anchorhead in time, Jokuhl is next on the Winglies' hit list!"

"Don't try to justify your actions! This ferry belongs to the city! Your stealing of the ferry is an act of war on Jokuhl!"

"I don't have time for this Syuveil! Let us go or we will be forced to fire upon your men!" Diaz raised his hand.

"You will be going NOWHERE!"

Diaz grabbed his bow and quickly fired an arrow at Syuveil. The arrow whistled fiercely through the air and quickly closed in on Syuveil. Syuveil sidestepped with godly speed and snatched the arrow right out of the air with a fast hand. Diaz scowled and ducked as an arrow shot over his head. Bows released on both sides and soldiers shouted in agony as arrows hit their marks. Belzac shouted and kicked the platform from the ship. The platform fell into the water with a splash and the ship drifted away. Arrows continued to soar into the hull of the ship and the sails were full of holes. Rose left the carriage and looked around. The ship was big for a ferry, but not much could be seen in the darkness of night. She looked to shore to see several hand torches waving and arrows singing through the air. Some arrows were set aflame and fired, but none reached the ferry. Diaz's platoon stopped firing arrows and lowered themselves onto the deck, relieved from the battle. A loud explosion was heard and the soldiers jerked upright and faced toward shore. A big splash just before the hull made the ship lean to one side slightly for a short time. Another explosion was heard and it was evident that they were firing cannons. The iron sphere whistled and hit the head of the ferry, knocking off the small neck of wood at the front.

"That was close..." Diaz sighed.

Another cannon was fired and missed. Several shots were gotten off but none could hit the ship. It sailed away until Jokuhl was completely out of sight. The sun was rising quickly and the cabin was heating up early in the morning. Rose came out of the cabin and stretched in the sunlight. The sails were repaired and the soldiers were lounging around, talking amongst themselves. Shirley rushed between several of them, asking if any had injuries and promptly healing them. Diaz stood at the bow of the ship and looked around with a telescope for enemies at sea. Rose walked up to him, surprising him.

"Are you both alright?" Diaz asked.

"Yes," Rose answered. "The carriage protected us from the arrows."

"Good. Aside from us, Jokuhl has the best trained soldiers in this day and age. They could pick off anyone from great distances."

"It surprised me that Syuveil could be so hostile! And he caught that arrow!"

"Well, he may have loved books, but he was the most athletic person I knew in my youth. He is more skilled with a lance than any of the pike men in the army. I think we made quite the dangerous enemy."

"I guess we aren't out of danger yet?" Rose asked him.

"No," he shook his head. "They have another weapon at their disposal. They have the fastest ship on this lake."

"How fast is it?"

"It's so fast, we would have taken it if it wasn't so heavily guarded. We would have gotten to Anchorhead by now in that ship."

Diaz continued to watch the horizon and Rose looked ahead to see the shore of the northern side of the lake.

"How did we reach the shore so quickly!" Rose asked, astonished.

"We found some maps in the Captain's Quarters and it showed all the currents of the lake," Diaz said haughtily. "We caught the fastest one. Also, we're lucky enough to have the wind blowing us in this direction."

"I see..."

She didn't expect them to reach the other shore this fast. She hoped to fit in another lesson before the battle, but by the looks of it, they would be resting and saving all their energy for the upcoming battle. As the sun started to set, the ship had reached the port and they were already traveling toward Anchorhead. The ground was flat and miles and miles of land was visible in all directions. The grass began to recede and sand was taking the place of dirt. The wind picked up and sand was blown into Rose's eyes. She covered her face with her arm as she pushed forward through the fighting wind. The land had turned completely into desert. The sun had fully set and the wind died down.

The scorching sand retained its heat as it slowly radiated away into the air, making each step warm and a relief night's chilling air. They trudged on into the endless sand. Dune by dune, they walked uphill and reached a small oasis. Several trees grew around the small pool of water. Rabbits and large reptiles stood around, drinking the cool, crisp water to survive the harsh conditions of day. The carriage and soldiers made loud creaks and clangs causing the animals to flee for their lives. The soldiers refilled their water skins and the horses drank to their fill. They would have welcomed a rest but a forceful push from Diaz sent them journeying on into the endless desert. Damia's loud snoring sounded throughout the carriage and prevented Rose from getting any sleep at all. How did I sleep in here before with this raucous? she complained.

As the sun began to rise again, the sand heated up quicker than what would have been acceptable. The sand grew hot and the soldier's armor made them sweat profusely, draining the water skins, not leaving enough for themselves later on. At about midday, they climbed an unnaturally steep dune. The carriage was lugged up by the straining horses, hooves slipping in the sand with each step. The carriage evened out and the climbing had come to an end. The soldiers gasped in awe as they stared out, into the distance. Rose left the carriage and followed the platoon's gaze to the north. Her mouth dropped in an audible gasp and she clapped her hand to her lips.

Smoke rose above the huge city of Anchorhead. The city was a brown, dull, empty city. The only color was the large oasis walled off in the middle of the city. Around Anchorhead, only rows and rows of tents could be seen. To the left of the city, several thousand armored men holding the flag of their leading general (Rose recognized the flag's symbol as the same symbol on the forehead of Diaz's horse), marching toward the north of the city. To the east of the city, total carnage. Mounds of bodies, Wingly and human, lined the past battlefield. The blood soaked soil was visible from their point of view. To the north, the Winglies were nowhere to be found. Rose looked all over for a sign of life in the north, but to no avail. Diaz knew what she was looking for and pointed her in the right direction. He pointed above her head and she followed his steady finger to the sky, where a city floated above their heads. Rose let out another gasp as the Winglies flew down in hoards. Their sparkling wings glittered with magic, the sun blocked out by the city, sending a cold, dark, dreary atmosphere over the battlefield. The Winglies gathered in formation and fires had been set through unknown means. The soldiers on the ground scattered as a large fireball exploded in the middle of them, killing hundreds. The Winglies swooped down, swords drawn and engaged in hand-to-hand combat with the soldiers below, quickly cutting down all in their path.

"Damn! We're late!" Diaz yelled helplessly.

Rose watched as the battle raged and the shouts reached them, infuriating them. The platoon charged down the side of the dune toward the battle. Diaz watched as they all rushed toward Anchorhead. Rose looked at him, seeing the restrained anger in his eyes. He looked at her.

"Get in the carriage. Prepare for battle," Diaz said sternly.

Rose nodded and hopped in. Damia looked at her, puzzled.

"What now?" Damia asked, frightened.

Rose grabbed her sword and clutched the pouch on her chest, pleading for strength from the Dragons... her father.

"We fight..."

The carriage bounced and flew down the side of the dune, toward the raging battle below. The Battle of Anchorhead had begun.


	7. Chapter 7

_**Chapter 7**__: Devil's Kiss, Shadow's Freedom_

The carriage tumbled down the steep hill, stopping only to avoid boulders. The city wall grew closer to them. They seemed to be heading to the other side of the city, opposite the battlefield, toward the mounds of slaughtered men from the previous day's siege. Diaz shouted and cursed, as if he just realized an obvious answer to a difficult problem. They reached the bottom of the dune and stopped a few yards away from the city wall.

"Why have we stopped here!" Belzac bellowed. "We need to help the others!"

"We need to gather information first," Diaz said, patting him on the shoulder. "We still have some time. Belzac, I need you to enter the city and get the battle plans from the mayor. Without them, we're sunk."

"Gr... I will do so."

Belzac knocked on the gates, but when no answer came, he latched his amazingly strong hands on the hinges and tore them off sending the gate tumbling to the ground. He dashed in and his heavy footsteps faded into the distance. Rose and Damia left the carriage and were appalled by the smell of death and decay. Damia held onto Rose's waist tightly as she hid her face from the carnage. Rose patted her on the head and looked around. Armored men were piled high and burned. Small fires still raged among the bodies. Her eyes came to rest upon a small, delicate flower growing in a pool of blood. She walked over to it, taking Damia with her, and bent down over it. It was black, an odd color for a flower. The stalk wasn't green, like other plants, but black. Along its night-colored stem were several hundred thorns, hard and pointed. The petals, however, were the color of crimson red, like the blood in which it grew in. Diaz saw Rose and grabbed the flower just below its petals and ripped it from the ground, roots and all. He held it in the palm of his hand, avoiding its thorns, and looked at it in disgust.

"This flower... is called Devil's Kiss," said Diaz, staring at the flower. "It can only grow in one place, wherever there is blood. It is a wretched flower and only blood can quench its unending thirst for war. See its thorns? They are used to draw blood from passing animals to sustain its cursed life for a short while longer. It is the sign for mass death, a commonly found flower on the battlefield. But it is such a bad omen; whenever one is spotted, it is torn from the ground. But there is one good thing... It can't last a whole minute without blood."

As he said this, the flower shriveled, turning into ash. He crushed the flower in his palm and held it up over his head. He opened his hand and a brisk wind took up the flower, and in small pieces, flittered away into endless desert. Rose watched as the flower flew into the sky and her eyes trailed to the floating Wingly city. It was green, a sick, bloodstained green and hovered above the battlefield. It rose high above its own base and met at a point, swirling upward.

"I should have known... I recognize this city..." Diaz scoffed.

"What is it?" Rose asked.

"It's one of the Winglies' floating cities... It doesn't have a name, but it can only be associated with its owner..."

"Who owns it?"

"The right-hand-man to Frahma himself... Faust," Diaz revealed.

"Is he strong?"

"More than you can comprehend. He can take out whole armies with one flick of an eyebrow. He has caused us the most trouble in this war..."

"And Frahma?" Rose continued to ask curiously.

"The King of the Winglies, Melbu Frahma."

"And Faust is the second in command!"

"Correct," Diaz nodded.

"How do you expect to win!"

"I don't expect we will. But we must fight. If the humans fall, let them fall with honor!"

Belzac thundered from the city, arms full of papers. He placed them on the floor and rolled them out.

"I didn't have a problem getting them," Belzac said, sweat beading on his forehead. "The city is deserted. Everyone left."

"Better for us, I think," Diaz sighed. "We can use the buildings for a garrison and fire upon unsuspecting enemies."

"Are you sure that would be safe, sir? If they found us, we could be destroyed easily."

"That's a risk we'll have to take. As long as you aren't discovered, you'll be fine."

"Me? Am I to garrison the buildings?" Belzac asked, pointing to himself.

"I need an officer to direct them. You need to do this. We need cover when we're down there."

"I understand."

"Good," Diaz smiled.

Diaz looked at the plans. He ran his eyes over the basic map. His face screwed up as he absorbed every bit of information, but eventually cursed and slapped the papers aside.

"They're out-of-date. I can't tell a thing from them," Diaz shook his head. "We're going in blind. Here... Take up these buildings in the west in six-by-six formation, six men in each building. Take all weapons, whether it be close quarters or long range. Make sure the girls are safe."

"Wait! We're going with them?" Rose asked, stunned.

"The battlefield is too dangerous, especially with Faust around. I need you to stay with Belzac."

"But you said I was going to fight!" Rose's temper flared.

"You will..." Diaz eyes glimmered. "You can use a bow, can't you?"

Rose opened her mouth for another retort but she and Damia were grabbed by Belzac and carried into the city. Belzac's company followed, carrying armfuls of weapons and arrows. Rose screamed for Belzac to leave her but he continued on, carrying them both to the west side of the city, Shirley following close behind. Homes had large holes in the roofs, singed at the edges. Lances and arrows were strewn on the road, the owners either dead or fighting outside the city walls. It was a short time when the west wall appeared and the buildings towered high above it. Belzac put the girls down gently and tore a door from its hinges and broke it apart into separate planks. The soldiers ushered the girls into the nearest building and sat them down in seats.

"Stay here while we prepare," a seasoned soldier told them.

The soldier went out to Belzac, still prying doors apart, and grabbed several planks of wood. He nailed the wood to the windows, leaving a small hole for firing arrows. He and five other soldiers finished nailing the windows shut and took out their bows. Belzac's shouts were heard from another building and they pulled back the strings of their bows. A howl came from the building over and the twang of several strings filled the room. They quickly knocked more arrows and fired them. The girls sat there helplessly, trying to find something to do with themselves. A bloodcurdling scream made them jerk their heads toward the source. A man fell to the ground, an arrow in his neck. Shirley rushed over and knelt down. As soon as she looked at him, she shook her head and tore the arrow from his neck and inspected it. Damia covered her face, shocked by the death of a man nearby. Rose wondered.

"How did the arrow make it through!" Rose wondered.

"One word... Magic," Shirley speculated.

Another arrow came into the room, catching Shirley in the arm. She yelped and fell to her knees, an arrow protruding from her upper arm. Rose ran over, ducking under windows to avoid more magical arrows and knelt next to Shirley. Shirley looked at her arm and grabbed the end of it.

"Don't! You'll hurt yourself!" Rose yelled.

"It needs to come out!" Shirley told her on the verge of tears.

Rose broke off the tip of the arrow and slowly slid it out of her arm. Shirley gritted her teeth and tensed her body, trying to prevent too much pain. When the arrow was completely out, she yelped again, tears streaming down her face. Shirley covered the wound with her hand and invoked her healing ability. She healed both the entrance and exit wound, but the inside of her arm couldn't be completely repaired. She moved her arm, wincing at the pain, but walked back to her seat. She sat down and looked at her hands, covered in her own blood, and casually wiped them off on her skirt. Another man screamed, this time, a whole lance barreled through the window, breaking off whole planks of wood. He ducked as the lance passed his face, cutting into his cheek. Warm, crimson blood, dripped down the side of his face, but he stood and continued firing. Rose got out of her seat and crawled to the window in which the dead man was stationed. She peeked out, looking around at the battlefield. Soldiers and Winglies lay lifeless on the bloodstained ground, looking different to her from clothes to appearance, but all the same to Death.

She saw Diaz emerge from behind the wall and cut down a Wingly. Winglies tried desperately to take him down, but he and his platoon formed a barrier of shields, allowing Diaz to get close enough to take down the opposing forces. A light shot down from the Wingly fortress and hit the ground. A man rose out of it holding a long staff of gold. He swung it through the air and hit a man, denting his helmet and killing him. He walked toward Diaz, using the staff as a walking stick. He stopped a few yards shy of the shield barrier. Again, he swung his staff and the shields and soldiers blew backward, exposing Diaz. The man struck the ground with his staff, causing the earth to pull itself up and rush toward Diaz. He sidestepped and struck down the man. A burst of energy sent Diaz flying backward, into the pile of unconscious men, waking them up.

Rose sighed with relief as he stood and continued fighting. The man next to her was struck with an arrow and roused her attention when he fell lifeless next to her. She looked at his face, blank and empty of emotion. There was a whistle and an explosion. Rose was sent into the opposite wall, face cut from flying stones. Her ears felt blown out, all sounds ruffled and like she was underwater. As it slowly cleared, she opened her eyes to see dust and embers in the air. The dust filtered and settled and she found herself staring out the side of the building, stone and wood blown away, a whole wall gone. She looked at the floor, all the men were dead; some missing body parts, others gone completely. She continued to stare. Shirley ran over to her and screaming to her to see if she was alright. Rose kept staring until she snapped out of her small coma and turned to Shirley. Damia stood next to her at a loss for words, gaping at the hole in the wall.

Rose slowly stood and Shirley wiped her face clean of blood. Rose rushed out of the building without a word, Shirley and Damia following closely behind. Belzac, covered in soot, had already come from his building carrying weapons. Some soldiers came from other buildings and left through the west gate into the battlefield. Rose checked her waist for her sword. She groped until she found it and ran forward through the gate. She heard Belzac scream after her but she didn't take the time to decipher his words. She passed beyond the gates and stepped over several small rocks, some speckled red. She headed toward Diaz who was fighting another swarm of Winglies. He cut them down quickly, letting none survive and grabbed a shield of a fallen soldier. Rose came up behind him, sword out and prepared for anything. Diaz heard her footsteps and swung around, cleaving downward with his sword. Surprised, Rose threw her sword up to catch his blow. As he saw her, his expression lightened and changed from astonishment to anger so quickly that no one could have noticed if they weren't staring him in the face.

"What are you doing here!" Diaz screamed angrily.

"The building blew up! They knew where we were!"Rose yelled in return.

"Go back to the city! You'll be safe there!"

"Stop treating me like a helpless child! I can take care of myself!" She argued.

"Don't be stupid! Get back to the city!"

"No!"

"Stubborn girl! Get back to the city! That's an order!"

"I am not one of your subordinates!"

"I'm not kidding Rose! Don't be a child!"

"I'm not...acting... child?" she stopped.

Rose was acting like a stubborn child throwing a fit. Her sword pointed downward and hanged there while she looked down at the ground. She looked up at Diaz and saw an arrow whistle through the air behind him and pierce his shoulder. He doubled over, one hand on his shoulder. The air was knocked out of him and he panted. He tore the arrow from his flesh and cast it aside. He took up his sword but the weight caused his arm to spasm and drop it. He cradled his arm and looked at it in dismay. He was helpless in the middle of a battlefield, a sitting duck. Another light came down from the Wingly fortress and landed next to them. Another man with a staff emerged. He had a long robe and a white beard. His ears pointed upward and his staff was made of wood, a red ruby held in place by the curling wooden twigs. He swung his staff and a ball of fire barreled toward them. Diaz took up the shield with his good arm and blocked the fire as best he could. The fire found its way around the shield and caught Diaz on his wounded arm, knocking the wind out of him again. He fell backward, panting again, and lied there on the cold earth on his back. Rose saw this and was enraged.

She screamed words at the man, she did not know whether they were real words or that she was babbling, blinded by anger. The man struck the ground and the earth was pulled up and sent toward her. She dove to her side and landed on her stomach, quickly standing back up, brandishing her sword. The man pulled up more earth and sent it toward her. She saw an opening and ducked underneath the rock and rubble. From her position, crouched down under the stone, she thrust herself forward with her legs and jabbed the man through the gut with her sword. A single drip of blood came down her sword and the man fell in front of her. A shockwave sent her flying backward and she landed next to Diaz. She sat up, Winglies closing in on them when a voice from the clouds burst out over the battlefield.

"ENOUGH!" the voice bellowed, shaking the very ground.

All fighting stopped. The Winglies fell back into formation and disappeared in a flash of light. The remainder of the human troops stood around, weapons in hand, awaiting more fighting. When nothing came, they grew confused and uneasy. The voice sounded again, this time, more solemn.

"You pathetic humans have troubled me long enough. It is time that we settle this once and for all. I have had enough of these games."

Another bright light came from the fortress and the men took up their weapons. One man emerged from the light. He held a staff made of a metal that Rose had never seen before, a dark, bluish metal. His head was balding but his remaining hair was red and his beard the same color. His robes were extravagantly colored and elaborately designed. He held one hand behind his back, the other on the staff, and walked forward into the battlefield. He stopped in front of Diaz, who had sat up to see the interruption, and chuckled to himself.

"So, the great General of Men has fallen," the man said, smirking.

"Fallen?" Diaz asked sarcastically "I have yet to fight!"

"Haha, yes, I can see that in your present condition you are perfectly well enough to fight me," the man placed his hand on his chest.

"Now why would I want to fight a weakling like you?" Diaz goaded. "You hide in your fortress, doing a horrible job directing your forces, and when they show a single sign of losing, you come down here and try to clean up their mess."

"Watch your tongue, human. You inferior beings have no future on this earth... we are the future. The Winglies!"

"Well, Faust, a man can make something great... a Wingly, however, can do nothing more than knock the great things down and call their own achievements great. You are a useless race, thinking of nothing but power. Power leads to destruction, regardless of who has it."

"Well, young Diaz, you are right about one thing..." Faust said, peering through slit eyes.

"And that is?" Diaz stared back.

"We know how to destroy."

Faust lifted his staff and Diaz rose from the ground against his will. His neck became tense and an invisible hand wrapped itself around it. The hand got tighter and tighter, cutting off Diaz's breathing. Rose watched, nervous and devoid of an idea. She reached for anything but all she could muster was to scream.

"Stop! Leave him alone!" Rose yelled, tears welling.

Faust stopped, his smile faded from his face and stared at Rose. His lips curled into a smile again and he began to laugh. He took his hand from his back and put it on his brow, rubbing back and forth as if to wipe away a burden.

"Of all the people in the human world, you send a child," Faust grinned. "Fine, then, Child. If you can hurt me, I will let him go."

Rose felt fear rise up in her. She picked up her sword. She flinched when Faust's hand rose and the ground began to rumble. Crunching and dragging was heard coming from the city. She looked to the city to see it moving toward them and breaking apart. The pieces of stone and wood grew in mounds and began to take a particular shape. Faust guided all the pieces of the city, creating a giant of stone. Anchorhead was obliterated, all that remained was a base and leftover stone. The giant began to move and Faust stood straight up with pride.

"Oh, and one other thing..." Faust said, putting up a finger. "Not only must you hurt me, you have to kill my stone guardian as well. Good luck, Child!"

As his words echoed on the battlefield, the giant swung a heavy club over his head. Rose ran several yards to escape its thundering attack. When the attack landed, the earth shook and cracked underneath the sheer force of the blow. Soldiers lost their balance and ran from the monster. Rose stumbled and continued to run until she reached the beast's leg. The giant saw her and tried to stomp on her. She stayed hidden, staying low to the ground to prevent falling and waited for the giant to stop stomping. The giant stopped, feeling triumphant in its easy kill. How am I supposed to kill this thing? she thought. A small light showed at the base of the monster's neck and she thought up a risky plan.

Rose jumped onto its foot and climbed up its shin until she reached the knee cap. She sat there, thinking of a way to continue upward to a safer place on the giant. The giant lifted its leg and brought it up and saw Rose sitting on its knee. Rose held herself tightly onto the hard stone and took the chance to run to the hip of the giant. A plank of wood stood out and she grabbed on, hanging there until the giant lost sight of her again. She looked down and realized she was several dozens of yards above the ground. A fall at this height could be fatal. She stood up on the plank and jumped to the stone body, groping for a hold. Faust's anger was evident and began unleashing balls of fire on her. He missed his shot, scolding the stone of the giant, not fazing it one bit. The fire came with little time between each shot. She scurried up the chest of the giant, avoiding large fireballs. She grabbed onto a piece of wood and looked back at Faust, almost as small as an ant. He saw her way up and began taking out all possible paths. He boxed her in with each blaze of fire.

When she had nowhere to go, he fired another ball of fire toward her. She looked around for a place to go but she was surrounded in fire. _Oh no! This is it! It's over! What can I do!_ Rose held on, helplessly with nowhere else to go. She watched the fire approach and took her only option that she could think of. She let go of the giant and she fell below the ball of flame. She fell through the air and looked up at the sky, eyes closing, hair fluttering past her face as the wind briskly brushed past her body. She fell toward the ground at a speed that will surely kill her. _It's over_, she thought. _I failed... I can't get out of this one..._ Her life flashed before her eyes and tears began to well under them.

"It's... over... I failed everyone... Diaz, the Dragons... everyone..." Rose said to herself, sulking.

Time seemed to freeze and all the locked sections of her mind opened. She sifted through them, seeing things she had forgotten and things she had wished she knew. As sections opened to her, she noticed one that seemed not her own. The foreign presence welcomed her as she delved into its dark depths. Although she didn't recognize the presence, she felt a familiar embrace. As if her instinct told her to, she thrust out an arm and reached for something, penetrating a thick curtain of darkness. She felt around, as if looking for something, but she had no idea what exactly she was looking for. A head with yellow eyes emerged and grabbed her arm with a black hand. She struggled at first but reminded herself about the White Dragon's words, "Do not fight the darkness..." She stopped her pointless struggling, "What have I got to lose," she thought, and the dark hand pulled her into the black curtain. The darkness grazed her cheek, as if it were an actual substance, not just an absence of light. She could hear nothing and see nothing... nothing but black. But something broke the silence and a voice rang in the depths of her mind.

"You have gotten yourself into a lot of trouble, my little one," the voice said. "I think now is the time we finally met. But for that to happen, I need you to say my name."

She spoke aloud, oblivious to her current surroundings.

"But I don't know your name..." Rose admitted.

"It's quite obvious... just look around you... you know it and you must speak it aloud."

"Your name...?"

"Yes..."

"Is...?"

"Yes!"

Rose looked around, seeing nothing but...

"Dark Dragon!" Rose yelled.

"It has begun... Awaken, Dragoon of the Dark Dragon!" the Dragon commanded.

Rose opened her eyes and saw a small ball of dark energy above. It spread out until it completely surrounded her. She looked at the walls of the black sphere and small blobs of dark matter crawled onto her body. She looked at her arm and saw one of the matters covering it, beginning to glow white. She looked at her other arm and the same happened. Her arms glowed white and faded away, leaving purple arm guards and gloves. She looked at them curiously, seeing the delicate designs and carvings. She felt it was completely solid and hard, harder than anything she had ever seen or even knew existed. Although it was hard, it moved with her body, making her very comfortable and agile. She looked down and the rest of her body glowed white. The white dissipated, leaving armor matching her arms. A large red jewel was embedded in her chest plate. Her sword flew into her hand and grew in length and thickness. A jewel matching the one in her chest plate was embedded in the hilt.

The sphere disappeared in a flash and Rose was left floating in mid air. She heard gasps from below and looked down to notice everyone pointing at her. She had stopped falling, but why? She heard small pulses of air from behind her and looked only to notice that on her back was a pair of purple armored wings. The membrane was transparent and had a purple tint. Her sword felt like an extension of her arm. She swung it easily as it was lighter and brimmed with her power behind it. She suddenly felt a surge of energy inside of her. The energy balled up and increased in intensity. It felt as if the energy was fighting its way out of her body whether she wanted it to or not. If it wasn't released, her body would give out and she would lose more than her new armor. She let it loose and her wings surged her forward, sword out in front, toward the stone giant, which was standing there oblivious to the current events. She flew toward the shining mark on the upper chest of the giant and struck through it. The giant's stone head flew several feet into the air and turned to dust.

The stone body continued to move as it tried to strike Rose down. A power formed at Rose's palm and darkness surrounded the giant. The darkness spread and opened up increasing in size to match the stone giant. When it stopped growing, screams were heard from it, as if it were a doorway to the damned. The giant stumbled backward as a force pulled it into the dark abyss and disappeared. The dark door closed and shattered like glass, shards of darkness falling to the ground and evaporated away. Faust gaped in awe at the sudden fall of his guardian and sent several spells of fire at Rose as she closed in on him, sword in hand. A sphere of fire grazed her armor without a scratch or change in temperature. She swung down her sword with a mighty blow and Faust was struck on the shoulder. Faust collapsed, hand on his shoulder, screaming in pain. He shot an angered and painful look at Diaz and disappeared in a ball of light. His voice remained, leaving behind a message.

"This isn't over! I will kill you yet!"

Rose landed heavily on the hard ground, avoiding the pile of dust from the stone head. She stumbled forward, feeling her energy had been sapped and couldn't take another step. Diaz ran up to her, trying to form words but couldn't. He knelt beside her and the world slowed. She felt the armor as it magically wrenched itself from her and she fell face down in the blood soaked sand. As her eyes closed, the last thing in her mind was the sight of the black flower, a Devil's Kiss.


	8. Chapter 8

_**Chapter 8**__: Journey to Bale_

Darkness gripped Rose's mind as she drifted into a deep sleep. She could feel nothing and neither see nor hear anything. Long, bony fingers of darkness wrapped themselves around her as she opened her eyes to reveal the inside of a tent. She tried moving her limbs but they were sore and shook with pain. She moved her neck, which seemed less sore than the rest of her body. To her right, Damia lay asleep in her bed, almost completely cocooned in her bed sheets. To Rose's left, the opening of the tent flapped in the breeze, revealing the rays of day. She attempted to lift her head but the effort caused her back to spasm in uncontrollable pain; she gritted her teeth, bearing through it. The spasms subsided and she heard a rustle of clothing from across the room.

"You shouldn't move," Diaz's voice told her. "Your muscles are very strained."

She asked what had happened, or at least she thought she did. She didn't know whether or not what she said meant anything. Diaz seemed to understand.

"To be honest, I have no idea what happened. You... were not yourself," his voice trailed.

Rose regained the sense of her surroundings and was able to speak.

"Did I sleep?" she asked him.

"Did you sleep! You slept for five days! I wish I could sleep for that long," he said jokingly.

"Five days!" Rose asked, dumbfounded by the number.

Diaz nodded and sighed. Rose looked over to Damia as she turned on her side and continued sleeping.

"That girl sure can sleep," Diaz pursed his lips. "Nothing even happened to her. I guess her training wore her out."

"Training?" Rose wondered.

"Yes. She saw what happened to you and decided she would learn to fight too."

"What DID happen to me?" she asked at last.

"As I said before, I don't know. But it was quite spectacular. It was enough to scare Faust away."

A rush of memories came to Rose at the mention of his name. She saw the fire, the guardian, and then darkness.

"Well, no use lingering over the past. I might as well fill you in on things," Diaz said, slamming something shut, as if her were reading a book. "Anchorhead is gone, so we're headed for Karlahn, a neutral zone."

"How is a place neutral?" Rose's eyebrows furrowed. "Wouldn't the Winglies attack it?"

"Karlahn has proved beneficial to both sides. The city mines its own resources and sells to everyone. If it favored a side, they would be attacked and everyone would be hurt, so they favor no one to keep themselves safe."

"So both races live in the same place?"

"Exactly. To prevent any unwanted violence, they have established a police force made of both races, so no racial tension can occur."

"Seems hard to believe..."

"I agree, but it exists. Well, we should start packing up. You sit tight, we'll handle everything," Diaz said, the chair he was sitting on sliding across the floor.

Diaz left the tent and shouted orders to his men outside. She could hear movement and rustling outside as the men packed up the camp. Still confused, she tried to move different parts of her body, but with little success. Her fingers, toes and neck regained movement but the rest of her body was still too stiff and strained to move. Damia turned in her sheets again as she stay asleep, disturbing the silence. Belzac entered the tent and saw Rose awake.

"Well, well, someone finally decided to wake up. How're you feeling?" Belzac asked.

"I can't move," Rose said dumbly.

"Well, after that show you put on for us five days ago, I guess you won't be able to move for a while."

"Show? What show?"

"I'm not completely sure what exactly happened, but you were engulfed in a ball of darkness and gained a strange armor and killed the stone creature and wounded Faust."

A second rush of memories came to Rose like a punch in the gut. Again, she saw, in her mind, her hands and legs become clothed in a dark purple armor, her sword changed shape, plowing through magic like air, piercing the shoulder of Faust and finally an image of the blood-thirsty flower.

"I see, now..." Rose sighed.

"Can you shed any light on this?" Belzac asked hopefully.

"Not really... but I can only assume..."

"What? Assume what?"

"Er... nothing, never mind. Sorry, I was thinking out loud."

"Hmph... well, I ought to get back to work. I'll speak to you later, Rose."

Belzac turned away and as he was about to leave, he slapped his forehead and walked back to her bed.

"I forgot. I believe this is yours," he said, holding something in his large hand.

He put the green, velvet pouch and the makeshift pouch around her neck. He then held another pouch in his hand and looked down at it.

"I'm not sure if this is actually yours, but I found it lying next to you five days ago and it looked like the other orbs so I assumed it belonged to you," Belzac said with a huge smile.

He opened the pouch and an orb fell into the palm of his hand. The orb looked very much like the others. It was very dark purple with a completely black eye. Sunlight from the opening of the tent shined through the orb, casting a black glow on Damia's bed. Rose opened her hand and Belzac dropped the orb into her palm. He left without saying a word. Her gaze remained on the dark orb. A strange presence radiated from it, familiar and yet alien. She had felt it before but it was not herself. She knew what it was and that it had chosen her but she felt that she wasn't ready for such a responsibility. A gentle voice in her mind told her otherwise, but before she could recognize it, it disappeared. Her eyelids suddenly felt heavy and she drifted into a restless sleep. She felt every minute drag on as she slept. Her body twitched, trying to get itself moving again. She awoke several hours later, tired but able to move freely. She stood up to see how much she had recovered but fell backward onto the bed. At this time, Damia walked into the tent with two cups of soup. She saw Rose awake and sighed with relief. She handed her a cup of soup and started a whole, long-winded rant about the past five days. She described her training, things Diaz taught her (to her "surprise" they were the same lessons Diaz taught herself), and eventually the day Rose fell unconscious.

"It was amazing! You got armor! You had wings! It was amazing!" she yelled, wide-eyed.

Damia continued on in a giddy voice. Rose paid attention to some details about what had happened to her in the past. Rose couldn't help but feel annoyed from Damia's constant rambling, but she let her finish her train of thought. She finished a half hour later, almost gasping for breath. Before Rose could say a word to her, she felt sleepy and went to bed. Rose tried to stifle a laugh while thinking how a person could talk themselves to sleep. Having neglected her soup, Rose took a sip and cringed from the intense spices in it. _They can't seem to get this cooking thing down_, she thought. She took another stab at walking and managed to stand up straight. She took her first step forward and wobbled a bit. She suddenly experienced vertigo and tried to support her weight. She slapped her hand to her mouth to stop herself from vomiting, with the other hand grabbing out for anything to keep her balance. The dizziness quickly faded and she regained composure. She took another step forward to discover that she could walk somewhat acceptably. She slowly exited the tent to avoid agitating any muscles that were not fully recovered. The moon was high in the dark, night sky and all the soldiers were asleep in their own tents. Diaz, however, sat at the fire, stoking it to keep it alive. He was surprised to see Rose for he had thought she would be out for several more days.

"It shocks me that you are walking already, but I suppose a young, growing child heals a little faster than adults... maybe the Dragons had something to do with it," he said, shrugging.

Rose sat beside him, taking the stoker and poked at the embers on the ends of the wood.

"Trust me, it wasn't easy..." Rose said, smirking.

"Well, I can understand that you're going through something strange, something that no one else is going through, something that no one can ever truly understand..." Diaz slowed. "Seeing you tough it out gives us hope... it gives me hope. Something tells me that those orbs are not just stones that shine when they are together. Your performance the other day confirmed that for me. There is more to them than meets the eye. Just knowing that makes me feel that you and only you can do this, because any normal person would crack under the pressure."

"Yeah... but I don't even remember what happened the other day. A few choppy memories, but that's all..." she looked down.

"But I don't think the Dragons would put you into something without explaining it first."

"They already have! They thrust me into something that I don't understand, not even a bit. The only way I can possibly know is if I speak with them again. And even then, they won't tell me everything!"

"I suppose... or maybe they told you everything you need to know."

"I doubt that. If I know everything I need to know, I wouldn't be giving myself headaches from thinking so much," she put her hand on her head.

"Or... maybe you know everything but don't remember knowing it."

"..." Rose's eye twitched. "… I understand you're trying to help, but you're just making it worse..."

"I'm serious!" Diaz said, waving her off. "Somewhere in your mind, you do know, but you could be suffering from amnesia."

"Amnesia? Yes, I conveniently forgot the one event that could change my life forever... Anymore bright ideas?"

"Yes... they want you to figure it out on your own."

"Yeah... like always... where's Shirley?" Rose asked, looking around.

"Reservations at inns in Karlahn are hard to get," Diaz crossed his arms. "You have to go in advance so I sent Shirley to set everything up."

"Will she be alright?"

"Of course! I sent her with three of my soldiers."

"Of course...I'm sick of thinking..." she sighed. "I'm going to sleep... see you tomorrow."

"Yes, get some rest. We reach Karlahn tomorrow."

Rose nodded and entered the tent. Damia still lay asleep in her bed, a small candle burning on the table. Rose laid herself down in her bed and stared at the tent ceiling. Her eyes slowly closed and she felt herself drift along and hit solid ground, waking her up instantly. She opened her eyes to sand and stone structures. The coliseum lay before her with the seven familiar holes. Three of the four Dragons were out waiting for her. She quickly stood and approached.

"We're glad you're awake," the Jade Dragon hummed. "We have been trying to contact you."

"Trying? You mean you couldn't?" Rose asked, eyes bulging.

"Your Dragon wouldn't allow it. She prevented us from entering your mind."

"My Dragon, my Dragon, where the hell is this Dragon anyway!"

"Right here..." a voice rang through Rose's head. She looked around as if looking for a body, but found nothing.

"Is this some kind of joke?" Rose asked nervously.

"Joke!" the voice asked angrily. "You call me a joke? You can't even believe your own words!"

"I am sick of this! Tell me what's going ON!" Rose shouted in frustration.

"No need to get hasty. I shall tell you all," the voice stated calmly. "There is a lot you don't know so it will take some time. Where would you like to start?"

"Who are you?"

"I am you, well, part of you. I am the soul of your Dragon that used to reside in you."

"'Used to'?"

"I'll get to it. The new orb that Belzac presented to you is my new vessel. After I was released from your body, I created the orb in which I now reside."

"But why don't you have a body? Shouldn't you be in your cave?" Rose pointed toward a supposedly empty cave.

"I don't have a body because I didn't have one in the first place. I was born from the darkness in your mind and heart. Therefore I am you and I am not. As for my cave, I don't have one."

"Don't have one? But doesn't that mean I still need to find three more Dragons?" Rose asked lazily.

"No, there is one Dragon that is not needed," the Red Dragon bellowed. "Not only because he can't be found at the moment, but he also cannot be tamed by anyone."

"Sounds like a rebellious Dragon," Rose said with sarcasm.

"He has never been mainstream. But never mind him. Your Dragon has more to say," the Red Dragon clicked his pearly claw.

"Yes. What else do you want to know?" her Dragon's voice asked.

"... What happened to me in the Battle of Anchorhead?" she asked after some thought.

"I will do my best to explain," the Dragon's voice cleared a nonexistent throat. "You see, what you carry is the soul of a Dragon. When a Dragon has chosen someone to be its partner, it has chosen to merge with your soul."

"But... it merges with my soul?"

"Correct. And when that happens, the power of the Dragon is passed onto you. Your strength, speed, stamina, senses, everything you can imagine, has increased dramatically."

"So, what you're saying is, what happened to me the other day was the product of our souls merging?"

"Exactly! The power of the Dragon was passed onto you. You grew a pair of Dragon Wings, armor one hundred times harder than diamond, yet lighter than a feather. You gained the ability to use magic, which you discovered rather quickly."

The Dragon triggered a rush of memories and Rose suddenly remembered all that had happened.

"I remember... but how did I transform into... that?" Rose asked curiously.

"Well, that was my doing. If you had died, I would have gone with you and all hope would have been lost."

"Was it just a one-time thing?"

"That's the beauty of it. Of course not. That's why the orb is present. With the orb, you can transform at any time. It may take some time to call forth the spirit within but with a little practice, you should be a natural at it."

"I understand now..." Rose said nodding. "This wasn't about collecting orbs... it's about collecting the people the orbs react with. You're going to turn us into soldiers!"

"You catch on quick," the voice chuckled. "Now, when you..."

"But I don't want to be a soldier!"

"You don't have a choice. Remember what you said when you found your family murdered?"

"... How do you know?"

"I should, shouldn't I? Because..." the Dragon chose her words carefully. "That's when I was born... you said you would kill the people that did that to them..."

"What does that have to do with anything!" Rose asked, digging up unwanted memories.

"It's the enemy against whom we are training you to be 'soldiers'. The Winglies."

"What!"

"The Winglies killed your family. They knew what your father was hiding," the Dragon said firmly.

"I owe your father my life," the Red Dragon stomped down a large foot. "He guarded my spirit with his own life. I am paying him back by protecting his daughter and helping her to become a great person."

"I sense a little flicker of anger in you. This is what I like about you," her Dragon chuckled.

"How do I transform?" Rose asked hastily.

"I'll tell you that later. Even though you can only speak to the Dragons here, I can speak to you whenever I feel it necessary. But for now... it's time for bed."

"But I have a few more questions. What is this transformation called?"

"The transformation is called 'Dragoon'. It literally means 'Dragon Rider'. You deserve and have an obligation to rule over Dragons," the Dragon voice said proudly.

"Huh... I see... And, also... will it hurt as much again?"

"No, no, it only hurt the first time because a piece of your mind was torn from your body. It shouldn't hurt anymore."

"That's good..." Rose sighed with relief.

"Your other question?"

"What's your name?"

"Hahahaha! You still don't know? Fine, I'll say it again. I am the Dark Dragon."

"Oh..."

"Off to bed with you!" the Dark Dragon commanded.

Rose suddenly awoke in her bed, the tent was being packed up and the carriage was loaded and ready for travel. She got up and headed over to the carriage where Damia was standing. She was excited to see her up and walking again and started a long conversation that Rose decided not to listen to.

"Quite the talkative child..." the Dragon's voice said in irritation.

"Tell me about it..." Rose sighed.

"Did you say something, Rose?" Damia asked.

"Oh, no. Nothing. You were saying?"

Damia continued to talk. When Diaz signaled the move out, the two of them hopped into the carriage and Damia continued. Rose looked at the orb around Damia's neck and the Dragon read her thoughts.

"She will be powerful," the Dragon said to her.

"Can we really count on a child?" Rose spoke with her mind. "I mean, even with years of training, I will only be formidable. Can she overcome her age?"

"She will be the youngest. Even if you get years of training, so will she. She will be just as formidable as you will be in time, regardless of age."

Around midday, the gates of Karlahn became visible. The gate was over one hundred feet high and several ballistae were in watch towers ready for any form of attack. They had arrived at the gate when a Wingly opened a small hole and spoke through it.

"What business have you in Karlahn?" the Wingly Guard asked.

"We are just passing through," Diaz said truthfully. "We leave for Bale tomorrow."

The Wingly thought for a moment and nodded. He shouted to the guard to open the gate. One side of the gate slowly swung forward and all the soldiers went in, followed by the carriage. The place was filled with music and people laughing. Rose stuck her head out the window and saw a place filled to the brim with buildings and people of both races. She looked up to see several Wingly establishments floating above the main city with magical walkways leading up to them for humans. The roads weren't paved, but they were packed down solid from all the people who had stepped there in the past. Everything was cramped like the alleyways back in Caldera. Bands were playing in the streets, people were running back and forth between buildings, Winglies were flying high above, and all seemed peaceful. The carriage pulled into a small alcove near the inn, where things are kept and unloaded. Shirley stood waiting at the door with the three of Diaz's subordinates. Rose and Damia stepped out of the carriage and went over to her.

"Ah, the other," the Dragon's voice said.

"You never cease to amaze me, Rose," Shirley looked her up and down. "You should be resting."

"I got enough rest," Rose told her.

"That she did," Diaz said. "How did the reservations go?"

"Well, I got the rooms here, but this isn't the best place," Shirley said shrugging. "The others are booked for months!"

"We don't need to be pampered," Diaz admitted. "Just rested enough to make the journey to Bale. Plus this place is perfect for my subordinates to unwind."

Diaz went over to his soldiers while Shirley muttered under her breath.

"This place is disgusting..." Shirley said, peeking at a homeless man who was begging for money and food. "You two should stay in here. This is no place for children."

Shirley took Rose and Damia by the shoulder and pushed them inside. They were ushered into their room. The room wasn't very big, but it was fine for them and Shirley. Three beds were lined up along the wall while a table lay on the other side. A door on the far side of the room led to a bathroom and candles were strewn about on the floor.

"This place is disgusting..." Rose admitted.

"I'm glad we can agree..." Shirley nodded.

"I think this place is great!" Damia shouted with glee.

Rose rolled her eyes and walked over to a bed and threw all the pouches holding the orbs and her sword on the bed. Relieving the burden made her lighter on her feet. She felt like walking around a bit but Shirley wouldn't let her leave the room. Damia wanted to go too and convinced Shirley to let them go.

"Fine, but I go with you," Shirley asserted.

"I would prefer it if you did," Rose said, hands on her hips.

Rose belted on her sword and tied the orbs around her neck to avoid pick pocketing. They followed Shirley down the road, avoiding bumping into the wrong people. Several shops were open but had nothing interesting. Some shops were selling jewelry while others sold rare and illegal animals. Some animals were dangerous and even escaped from time to time. They eventually made their way back to the inn. Rose looked along the buildings, reading the signs and looking through windows at the people having a good time. A man bumped into Rose when she was distracted. He turned to apologize and turned around to continue onward. He then stopped dead in his tracks and turned around slowly to look at Rose. The man was ragged and his brown hair fell well below his shoulders. His spectacles were broken and his face was dusty and covered with filth. He looked familiar.

"It's you!" the man shouted angrily, pointing.

"What!" Rose asked nervously.

"Grr! Where's Diaz!" he shouted, shaking her by the shoulders.

"Er... wait... Syuveil!" Rose asked dumbly.

"Where is he! He's a dead man!"

Shirley ran up to Rose and put her arm around her shoulder.

"Do you know this man?" Shirley asked, repulsed.

"He's the mayor of Jokuhl!" Rose answered.

"WAS the mayor of Jokuhl! Jokuhl is rubble now!" Syuveil said, covering his face.

"What? What happened?" Rose asked curiously.

"Winglies attacked shortly after YOU guys stole the ferry!" he said accusingly.

"How did you manage to escape?"

"I slipped by the raid. I had been away on business shortly before it started."

"On business? More like searching for us," Shirley said, scoffing.

"YES! Yes, I was searching for all of you! Now, I want to speak to Diaz!" he repeated.

"Quit your shouting!" Shirley scolded him. "You may follow us if you like."

They continued toward the inn, Syuveil close behind. When Diaz became visible, he looked over and saw Syuveil. A sudden flash of annoyance appeared on his face. Syuveil sped up to meet with Diaz again. It was evident that he was angry.

"Good to see you again, old friend," Diaz said calmly.

"Shut up!" Syuveil bellowed. "You ruined me!"

"Did not," Diaz denied.

"Did too!"

"Did not."

"Did too!"

"What are you, children!" Shirley said mockingly.

"... I don't argue like that, do I?" Rose asked, mulling things over.

"The Winglies destroyed Jokuhl! How will you compensate?" Syuveil stood up straight and continued his accusations.

"Compensate? I didn't attack anyone," Diaz denied.

"The Winglies followed you!" Syuveil told him.

"It's possible... but they destroyed the town, not me. How did you escape, anyway?"

"I was looking for you when you stole the ferry!"

"Oh, so I saved your life," Diaz said, a smile creeping onto his face.

"... What?" Syuveil questioned, nostrils flaring.

"If I hadn't stolen that ferry, you wouldn't have been out there looking for me and you would have been killed with the rest of Jokuhl. You should be thanking me!"

"I... well... um..." Syuveil stammered.

"Good to see you again," Diaz said with a grin.

Diaz patted him on the shoulder and entered the inn. Syuveil stood there, pondering on what had just happened. Rose, Damia and Shirley went into their room while Syuveil followed Diaz about some other matter.

"It's getting late..." Shirley told them. "Maybe we should start getting ready for bed."

Rose placed everything on her bed and stretched out. She was still a little sore and tired, but not too much. She pulled her sword out of its sheathe and noticed it was slightly altered. A jewel was embedded in the pommel and it was brighter and sterling. _Another gift from the Dragons_, she thought. Though she would rather it be the same... it was all she had from her father. That and the red orb. But she would one day have to give that up to another, for that person will be the chosen soul for it.

"It's tough, I know, but you don't have a choice in the matter," the Dragon's voice said to her. "Once the person is chosen, there is no turning back. Only death can separate such a bond. By the way, that Syuveil character... I believe you have something of his."

Rose sat up and opened the pouch and took out the green orb. She got up and left the room, leaving Damia and Shirley to themselves. Diaz's room was further down the hall. She entered after knocking and Syuveil was still screaming up a storm.

"Ah, Rose. I have just allowed Syuveil to come with us to Bale," Diaz said quickly.

"AND I CAN'T... you did?" Syuveil blinked.

"Yes, yes I did."

"That's good... I believe this belongs to you, Syuveil," she said, flashing the orb.

Rose tossed the orb to him and he bobbled it.

"What is it?" Syuveil asked at a loss.

"I told you when I first met you. You were chosen," Rose said simply.

Syuveil kept his mouth open for a retort, but nothing came. He tried to give it back to Rose but she stood firm and told him to keep it. Diaz laughed as Syuveil flailed about, trying to disprove everything about it. The Dark Dragon entered his mind giving him a little shock.

"You people are crazy!" Syuveil yelled in confusion.

After this amusement, she headed back to her room where Damia and Shirley are talking about the orbs.

"When we set out for Bale, I want you to gather all those with Spirits. I am going to teach you how to use it," the voice spoke to Rose.

"Good. They might need it," she replied.

"Trust me... you will."

Rose laid herself down in her bed and for once she could have a peaceful rest. One without intrusion.


	9. Chapter 9

_**Chapter 9:**_** Dragons and Dragoons**

Rose woke up to the sound of screaming from outside. She readied herself and left the room. Outside, Diaz was talking with a Wingly soldier who had a giant mobile cage attached to several horses. All the walls were wooden except for one side which had iron bars.

"I told you! I can't take him!" Diaz yelled animatedly. "We're not certified to carry prisoners!"

"We can't keep him here," the Wingly Soldier said. "Besides, his court date is in Bale and we can't spare the troops to send him."

"This is a high level prisoner! I'm sure you can spare a few troops for this kind of criminal!"

"We can't! This place gets rowdy around this time of year!"

"Gr... Fine, fine, we'll take him to Bale," Diaz sighed.

"Thank you," the soldier said, grinning triumphantly.

The Soldier took his horses and walked back to his command post. Diaz looked frustrated.

"This is really going to slow us down," Diaz said, fiddling with the pencil behind his ear. "Especially when we are dragging a murderer."

"I can't help it!" the prisoner yelled.

Diaz came over to Rose and rolled up a scroll.

"This guy murdered his own family," Diaz explained, disgusted. "All of them! When they questioned him about it, he said he did it because he 'liked the color of blood.'"

"That's... creepy," Rose said, a chill going up her spine.

"Tell me about it. I don't really want to drag around criminals but we don't have a choice right now. We take him to Bale and then it ends there."

Rose felt that this man was more than just a murderer, but a tad insane. For someone to kill their family there has to be a lot more to it than the color of blood. It also infuriated Rose, for she grew up without parents and it makes her sick to think that some people take such a great thing as a family for granted. You can never find anyone closer to you than siblings and parents. The man was yelling and spitting, trying to free himself from the cage prison. Rose walked over to it and peeked in through the bars. The man saw her and a wide grin broke across his face. He seemed glad to see her, which was strange for they had never met.

"Well, well, well, if it isn't my little sister!" the prisoner said with his strange grin.

"Er... what?" Rose asked nervously.

"Sister, sister! You're the one I spared!"

"But... I heard you killed them all."

"No, no, no, I didn't kill them all. I didn't kill you."

"But, I'm not your sister," she said, raising her eyebrow.

"Sister, sister, sister..." the man whispered to himself repeatedly.

"What's your name?" Rose asked curiously.

"Name...?" the prisoner asked, as if stricken dumb. "Why it's Kanzas! Dear sister, why do you ask?"

Rose shook her head and walked away. She had never seen such insanity. But she noticed something that was not right. She went back to the cage.

"Ok, Kanzas... then what's my name?" Rose asked, smirking.

Kanzas' face became distorted and thought for a minute. He then sighed.

"Ok, ok, I'm not as crazy as you might think," Kanzas folded his arms.

"You're just acting crazy to get off easy," Rose deduced.

"You're pretty smart. How about you say nothing about this to that guy over there and we will be just peachy."

"But, you killed your family!"

"... So?"

Diaz walked over, reading parchment.

"Everything alright over here?" he asked absentmindedly.

"Er... of course," Rose lied. "This guy is crazier than crazy. You should keep an eye on him."

"Yes, yes you should! HAHAHA!" Kanzas yelled with an exaggerated laugh.

"... Duly noted," Diaz said, stealing a glimpse of Kanzas.

Diaz walked away, still reading parchment. Kanzas sighed with relief and winked at Rose.

"Thanks kid," Kanzas said.

"Don't mention it..." Rose sighed. "Seriously. Now, why did you kill your family?"

"Well, I just want to get to Bale."

"... So you killed your family?" Rose asked, mouth agape.

"No, actually they weren't my family and they were already dead. I was just caught at the scene of the crime."

"So, you're innocent?" Rose perked up.

"Er... not exactly... you see, I was an accomplice, but I didn't do the killing. Then the guy who did do the killing left me there to take the blame."

"So why didn't you give the guy up?"

"I wanted to go to Bale!" Kanzas said again.

Rose couldn't take anymore of him so she walked to the carriage where Damia and Shirley waited to leave. The cage was attached to the carriage so an extra horse was added to the pulling. The three of them went into the carriage and they began their long journey to Bale. Most of the trip was quiet, except for the occasional screams of pretend insanity from Kanzas. The day passed quickly with short breaks and conversations that seemed to speed up time.

"Don't forget what I said last night," the Dark Dragon's voice told Rose.

"I won't. I'm looking forward to it," she replied.

Rose explained to them what she wants them to do later. They tried to ask questions but Rose told them off. She couldn't really answer them, so she might as well let her Dragon do it. She would have to convince Syuveil too, since he also was chosen.

"He will be harder to convince. But I will help you with that," the Dragon said.

The night sky started to make an appearance and the sun began to set on the horizon. Rose stepped out of the carriage and helped set up camp. Although she was still a bit sore from the other day, she managed to do a lot of work. They began cooking the food when Rose searched for a clearing in the brush nearby. When she found one, she memorized its location and went back to camp in time for food. She got behind Syuveil in the line and then cornered him after the food was distributed.

"Some of us are gathering outside the camp in a short while," Rose said. "You have to be there."

"... Why, exactly?" Syuveil asked suspiciously.

"Wouldn't you like to know more about the orbs?"

"I know all there is to know about them."

"Really?" Rose asked, surprised. "How?"

"I know that there is nothing to know about them."

"Nope, incorrect."

"What makes you think that you know more than I do about this?" he said smugly.

"Because I know that you know nothing about it. If you want to confirm your beliefs, follow us to the clearing in a few minutes."

Syuveil huffed, pretending he wasn't interested in learning, but Rose knew that he wouldn't give up a chance to learn.

"Wow, I didn't even help..." the Dragon said with surprise.

Everyone finished their meal and Shirley and Damia met Rose by the carriage. They were still skeptical but they didn't ask questions because they both wanted to know what was going on. Syuveil didn't seem as interested, but he slowly walked over, giving in to the urge to learn. You walk towards the clearing and past the cage where Kanzas was eating. He saw them walk by and he was curious.

"Oh sister! Sister, where are you going!" he asked in his fake voice.

"Oh brother, that's none of your business," she said with a smirk.

He seemed let down and he went back to eating. When the others looked at her for an explanation, she just told them that he was crazy and calls her his sister. When they reached the clearing, they all stopped in the center. Rose felt a sudden twinge in her mind as her Dragon projected into everyone else's minds. They were surprised when it happened at first and tried to fight it but the presence was too strong to fend off. The Dragon explained to them everything that she had told Rose two nights ago. Their blank expressions showed Rose that they didn't know what to say or how to react.

"Now take out the Spirits," the Dragon's voice said to all of them. "These orbs are the key to your true power. With them, the souls of your Dragons will be able to merge with your soul."

"Er... is that safe? Merging two souls?" Syuveil asked nervously.

"Yes, of course!" the Dragon scoffed. "Now, take the orb in your hand and close your fist around it."

They all took out their Spirits and closed their fists around it and waited for the next instruction.

"This part is tough," the Dragon warned. "First, with your hand, lightly squeeze the Spirit. Next, tense the muscle of the arm that is holding the Spirit. This allows the Spirit to enter the body from the orb, into the arm and the rest of the body. You are about to do your first transformations. Continue."

They were all very nervous. They were about to do something that wasn't normal. They all looked at each other. Shirley, Damia and Syuveil seemed to want to drop the orbs and run, but Rose followed the steps. She squeezed down on the Spirit and tensed her biceps. She felt the Spirit enter her arm and spread to her whole body. An orb of darkness consumed her and she felt her body become covered in the same armor that she had worn the other day. When the darkness faded away, she was left standing as her new transformed self. She felt herself brimming with power. She kicked off the ground and hovered above ground. She couldn't help but laugh because she had only flown once before and she didn't even realize it. The others looked at her, astonished.

"How long does this last?" Rose asked eagerly.

"However long you need it to last," the Dragon replied. "You must fight battles in this form; there will be no chance for humans if you can only use it for five minutes at a time. You three! Give it a try!"

They looked at each other and tried it. Nothing happened. They looked around at Rose, who stood there pondering. _Why wasn't it working for them?_ she thought. The Dragon didn't seem as stumped as the rest of them.

"This is understandable," the Dragon reassured them. "Rose transformed so easily because she had done it once in the past. The first time is always the hardest. I want you all to practice every day until you can feel it working. If you keep working at it, you can eventually call forth the Spirit without squeezing it, which makes it easier during battle so you won't have to fumble around with jewelry."

"Don't you think it may be something else?" Syuveil asked skeptically.

"What are you talking about?" the Dragon asked.

"I was just thinking, maybe they aren't working because you haven't chosen the right people," he said with a hint of hope in his voice.

"That is impossible," the Dragon said loudly. "Souls that can merge are very picky and can only resonate with a select few. The odds of you three being the wrong people is slim to none. Dragons demand perfection. Ironically, all souls are incomplete. Therefore, Dragons will search for the one other soul that, when together with their own, completes them. Again, it's practically impossible for you to have been incorrectly chosen."

"I see..." he said, hanging his head.

"It's getting late," the Dragon announced. "We all need our rest. Remember, practice!"

The Dragon's presence receded and they started to leave the clearing. Rose felt the armor leave her body and disappear into thin air. A small wisp of dark smoke balled in front of her and became solid. The smoke disappeared leaving the dark purple stone on a chain around her neck. She followed the others out of the clearing. No one spoke except Damia and her small voice echoed throughout the woods. Animals could be heard running and rustling the bushes. When they reached the camp, the girls went into the carriage while Syuveil went to the tents. Rose sat herself on one of the satin seats and sighed. Shirley and Damia followed. Damia was still giddy while Shirley looked disturbed and a little frustrated. Rose could understand what Shirley was going through. So much has happened in such a short time, she couldn't comprehend it all at once. Rose wanted to talk to them but she didn't know what exactly to say. She said the first thing that came to mind.

"Some night, huh?" Rose asked.

Damia nodded and Shirley looked like she wanted to scream. Shirley laid herself against the wall of the carriage and closed her eyes, trying to fall asleep. Damia kept talking.

"I can't believe this! It's so... so... SO!" her voice getting higher as she went.

"So, what? To be honest, it's not as fun as you think," Rose blinked.

"I think it is fun..."

"Just wait until she realizes this is used for battle... she won't think it's so fun after that," The Dragon's voice said to Rose.

"I guess," Rose spoke with her mind. "We might as well let her think this way for now." Rose now spoke to Damia directly. "Damia, we might as well get some rest."

"Ok!" Damia said, bouncing.

There were several moments of silence as they all attempted to fall asleep. They could hear the chirps of small bugs and the occasional footstep outside. Suddenly, they heard a loud, booming voice screaming obscenities.

"... Is that... Syuveil?" Rose asked, her brow raised.

Damia and Shirley had opened their eyes with confused looks on their faces. Shirley was gasping with each word and Rose began to laugh. Damia sat there with a questioning look, wondering what Syuveil was screaming about. When the screaming died down, they continued their attempt to fall asleep. The next morning, they were already moving when the three of them awoke. Rose, still groggy, poked her head out the carriage window and saw Diaz walking alongside it.

"Finally!" Diaz sighed. "We are about to reach the mountain range."

"And you needed us to be awake for that?" Rose yawned.

"Yes, actually. We won't be able to take the carriage up the steep slopes so we will have to leave it here. Gather all your belongings and be ready to carry them."

Rose looked around for her possessions. It wasn't much, but she managed to fill a small sack. Damia and Shirley both had nothing, for they were taken on a whim. Only their Spirits remained, which is all they needed. They reached the base of the trail and the horses were taken off the carriage. Diaz picked up Damia and put her on top of his white steed and Rose and Shirley mounted the other two. Diaz opened the iron prison and chained Kanzas to Belzac. Kanzas' face was riddled with disappointment for Rose knew he had intentions of escaping. But with Belzac around, that was not possible. They started up the trail leaving the carriage behind. The trail was wide and riddled with small pebbles, making it somewhat hard to walk. The walls around them started to rise up above their heads preventing the sunlight from getting through. It began to narrow and became steeper as they went. They rounded a bend and noticed the walls came to a sudden end and a small canyon was revealed. The drop was several hundred feet and in the distance across the canyon laid a line of mountainous land. An even smaller trail led down into the canyon and the trail continued up from the bottom, across the small river there, and out through the other side of the canyon. They followed it until they were at the bottom. Night was beginning to fall and they and their horses were tired. They set up a small camp at the bottom of the canyon several yards away from the river to rest for the night. The meal was cooked and they just as quickly went to sleep. Rose awoke in the middle of the night to a crash of thunder. She slowly got up and opened the flap of her tent to notice a threatening sky. A streak of lightning bolted across the sky and a loud crack of thunder soon followed it. She felt a drip on her face and wiped it off. She received a small shock when Diaz appeared in front of her.

"Wake them up and start packing up the tent," he commanded.

"Why? It's early!" Rose complained.

"This canyon could flood. We have to get to higher ground."

As soon as he said this, another flash of lightning and clap of thunder came and the clouds dropped their salvo of rainwater. The river began to flow violently and they rushed to get everything together. They mounted the horses and started up the trail, the river slowly rising behind them. They continued upward in a hurried pace, outrunning the rising river. They reached the top of the canyon and saw a large cave in the face of a tall rock formation. Diaz pointed toward it and they entered. The horses shook the water off and everyone sat down on a flat rock. Rose surveyed the cave, looking at everything around her. The cave extended much further in but the darkness prevented further sight. The air seemed old... somewhat stale. If the cave is open to fresh air, how is the air old? The smell was strange in itself. It smelt like pestilence, even rotten meat. Perhaps an animal left its kill in there.

"This place is strange..." Rose stated suspiciously

"I agree... keep your guard up," the Dragon's voice replied.

Rose continued to look around and started to listen. A few of the soldiers were groaning, panting for breath. Rose looked at the floor and the ceiling and noticed something strange.

"Where are the stalactites and stalagmites?" Rose asked, growing nervous.

"Now that you mention it..." the voice replied.

Rose heard a huff in the darkness of the cave. She felt her heart sink. She ran to a wall and felt the surface to realize the rough, jagged gouges in the stone, made by something alien. She ran past all the soldiers and out of the cave. The rain was coming down harder than ever and she looked into the stone face. A bolt of lightning illuminated the cliff to reveal hundreds of dug holes in the wall. She looked up as more lightning poured from the heavens, coming from one spot in the sky. She ran back to the cave.

"What's wrong?" Diaz asked curiously, noticing Rose was acting strangely.

"Lightning is random," Rose said in her mind. "It doesn't come from the same place in the sky all the time. And these caves are dug out, dug by something that may still be in here."

"I see... the storm isn't natural... neither are these caves," the Dragon's voice reiterated. "What do you think it is?"

"I don't know, but I think we're about to find out..."

She reentered the cave, passing all the tired soldiers and a staring Diaz and headed to the back of the cave. She kept running until she lost her balance and tripped on a loose rock. She felt herself fall forward and braced for impact with the floor. Instead of the floor, she fell onto a soft fleshy rock. She stood up and patted the rock curiously. The rock stirred and a voice rang from it.

"Don't touch me!" the foreign voice demanded.

"Er..." Rose stammered nervously.

The creature reared its head. The neck was long and the body was short. What it was could not be distinguished in the darkness. Suddenly, a tail came up and pinned Rose to a wall. She saw the outline of a face come toward her own. The face was inches from her when the Spirit around her neck shined brightly, revealing a scaly face and long, sharp fangs. The eyes and skin were bright violet and the illumination made its pupils contract. A look of shock appeared on the Dragon's face and it yelped in protest. His tail whipped Rose to the back wall and the Dragon looked around at her.

"You will not have me!" the Dragon bellowed loudly.

The Dragon's tail touched Rose again and sent a bolt of electricity through her body. Her muscles gave out and she collapsed onto the floor. Her heart raced and her body ached. Her throat became parched and she gasped for air. She had never been shocked before and it surprised her how effective it was. It incapacitated her for several minutes. She grabbed onto the wall and pulled herself up. She limped toward the mouth of the cave where everyone was. She saw them sprawled on the ground with the same symptoms as she had earlier. She quickly took a water skin and drank her fill. The Dragon was outside the cave and she saw him kick off and take to the air.

"What is he doing! He has to help us!" the Dark Dragon's voice rang in her head.

"Maybe he doesn't see it the same way. He thinks he should live," Rose replied.

"No, he needs to choose a partner! After him, Rose! Fly!"

Rose grabbed the orb and fumbled it a bit. She took it in her palm and squeezed down on it until the surge of power filled her body. A sphere of darkness surrounded her. Her armor appeared in a flash of white light and she unsheathed her sword and ran forward toward the edge of the canyon. She then realized that there was a problem.

"I don't know how to fly..." Rose said, staring at the edge.

"Don't worry," the voice reassured her. "Just jump, I'll take care of the rest."

Rose approached the edge and hesitated. Was she about to jump off a cliff? There's no looking back now. She had to stop the Dragon from escaping. She took a step forward and felt herself lift from the ground. The air rushed passed her face and the rain pelted her like icy daggers. She kept rising above the ground until clouds began to pass her by. Moisture continued to pelt her in the face as the small beads of rain formed and fell to the ground below. She broke through the line of clouds and looked up at the night sky. The moon was bright without any interference from clouds whatsoever. The stars shone brightly against the black cloak of night. It was a new sight for Rose, like nothing she had ever seen before. Her gaze fell downward to the clouds below. Although these clouds gave her the illusion of solid ground below, it could not mask the fact that she was higher than most mountains. She felt the brush against her cheek as the Dragon's neck appeared in front of her. The Dragon flew ahead, bolts of lightning shooting from it to the ground below. He turned to face her.

"You have made a big mistake," the Violet Dragon huffed. "Just coming into my 'home' like that. Now you'll have to pay reparations."

"Pay? With what?" Rose asked.

"Your life!"

The Dragon flew forward, mouth agape, his teeth bared. As he came closer, her mind raced, trying to figure out what she should do. Should she face it? She had new found powers, but was she strong enough to take on a full grown Dragon? Should she dodge? She may not be strong enough at all and she could be killed. While she thought, she felt a powerful jerk as if her armor pulled her aside.

"Think faster!" the voice scolded her.

She was pulled out of the way of the barreling Dragon. He passed by, chomping down with his powerful jaws, angered that he came up short. He flew a few yards away and turned around to face her again.

"And you are supposed to save all species! Ha! You can't even make an easy decision!" The Dragon mocked, his large wings flapping strongly.

"Why are you doing this? We need you!" she yelled.

"Giving up my soul means dying! And I am too proud to die at the hands of the things I so hate! I believe that merging souls in unnatural and should not be done!"

"I see... so you're afraid!" Rose mocked in return.

The Dragon became enraged and attacked her again. She easily dodged him. His attack was sloppier than before. He turned around again. Rose smiled a little, which enraged the Dragon further.

"How dare you! Humans don't deserve me!" he growled.

The Dragon roared forward and Rose dodged him just as easily.

"I learned from someone that you can't attack with anger," Rose told him. "It only makes you anxious and harder to hit your opponent."

The Dragon abandoned the physical tactic and sent a bolt of lightning toward her. The Dark Dragon told her to point her sword forth. She did so and the bolt redirected to the edge of her blade. The sword sliced the bolt into hundreds of little shocks and dissipated into the air. The Dragon sent more bolts toward her but they disappeared just as fast.

"My patience is running thin! I can't take much more of you!" the Dragon admitted.

"Then give up!" Rose urged.

"Never!"

The Dragon lunged forward at her. She moved down again, avoiding his blind attack. He whipped his tail downward and it hit her in the chest, giving her a small shock. The Dragon flew upward and came down from above. Rose put her sword in front of her to guard from his attack. She felt him ram against her, pushing her down. She saw the clouds rushing past her and in front of her, the Dragon's face; his eyes burning with rage. The clouds ended, and rain started pelting her again. The Dragon relentlessly pushed her further and further toward the ground. He saw her gaze flash to the side, seeing if she still had enough time to stop him. The Dragon let out a small chuckle and pushed her with greater force. She started pushing back, trying to stop his onslaught. They slowed significantly but the ground was still quickly approaching. She looked to the side again and saw the dugout holes in the rock face. She couldn't stop herself completely, but she pushed harder to ease the impact. Her feet met with the ground and she continued to push upward. The Dragon kept pushing against her, trying to bury her in the stone. The ground began to crack beneath her. The ground buckled and the stone surface was overturned. The Dragon was forcing her so strongly that a small crater was forming around her feet. The footing was getting poorer with every passing second and her legs couldn't take much more of this.

"What do I do!" Rose yelled aloud.

"Use it against him," her Dragon told her calmly.

She shifted her weight and rolled out from under him. The Dragon kept going and slammed into the ground. The ground shook and the crater got wider as the weight of the Dragon pushed forth and dug deeper into the ground. Rose panted as most of her strength was sapped by the fight. The Dragon was dazed and wobbled as he tried to get up. He couldn't keep his balance and fell over, making the ground shake more. Rose heard Diaz shout from the side. When she looked, she saw that everyone was watching her. As she was distracted, the Dragon swept her legs out from under her with his tail. She fell on her back and tried to get up but the Dragon pinned her with his huge claws.

"A lot of fight in such a little parcel," the Violet Dragon said, his tongue flitting between his fangs. "I like a good challenge. But, obviously, you weren't challenging enough..."

Rose tried to grab her sword which was a few inches away from the tip of her hand. The Dragon laughed in a big huff and pushed down harder. Suddenly, Diaz came forth with his sword and pierced the side of the Dragon. The Dragon roared loudly in pain and swatted Diaz to the side. The shift in the Dragon's weight moved Rose close enough to her sword and she grabbed for it. When she felt the hilt in her hand, she took it up and stuck it through the Dragon's neck, piercing the jugular. Blood poured out of the wound and down the sword onto Rose's hand. The Dragon's grip quickly receded and had the look of complete dismay upon his face. The Dragon patted his claw to his throat and fell over. The breathing continued for a short time. He moaned and groaned in pain for some time. When the breathing stopped the clouds parted and the rain stopped. Rose saw something trying to push out of the wound in his throat. When it finally pushed itself out, she picked it up and wiped it clean of blood. The violet orb gleamed in the moonlight and had a dark purple eye in the middle. Diaz got up and cracked his back and huffed in the pleasant pain. He walked over to Rose and patted her on the shoulder.

"Another one down, huh?" Diaz asked.

"Looks like it..." Rose replied, her eyes inspecting the new orb.

Rose's armor disappeared in a mist, formed the dark sphere and placed itself on her neck. The orb immediately resonated with her Spirit and released a blinding light. She was about to put it away when it wrenched itself from her hands and flew over to the line of soldiers. The men ducked out of the way as it weaved through the crowd and reached Belzac and Kanzas. The orb then thrust itself into Kanzas' chest. He grabbed it and looked at it quizzically. He held it between his thumb and forefinger and looked through it.

"What is this?" Kanzas asked, dropping his act.

"How is this possible...?" Rose asked, dumbfounded.

"The Dragon has chosen his partner," the Dark Dragon's voice said sadly. "That partner is Kanzas."

"Him too?" Diaz asked, flabbergasted. "But he's a murderer! How can something as wise as a Dragon pick a criminal?"

"Not all Dragons are wise..." Rose thought. "I guess he saw the same thing in Kanzas as he did in himself. This is not supposed to be done like that, however. They are supposed to pick a partner that corresponds to them."

"We can choose whoever we want to choose," the Dark Dragon said. "We just choose logical choices and the one choice that is the safest."

"This Dragon chose me?" Kanzas asked, smirking.

"Apparently so..." Diaz spat in disgust.

"What does this mean?" Kanzas asked, looking from person to person.

"It means you have to fight," Rose said.

"Oh... I can do that..." Kanzas said, grinning.

"Humph..." Diaz huffed. "… It looks like I have to do some paperwork. If you're going to fight, you'll have to be cleared of charges."

"Really? That's good. I didn't do it anyway," Kanzas blurted.

Diaz slapped his hand to his forehead and realized it was still caked with semi-dry blood. He wiped his forehead clean and put his sword back into its sheathe.

"I will keep you chained for now. I still don't trust you," Diaz admitted.

"Understandable," Kanzas nodded. "But I hope you will believe me that I didn't do it."

Kanzas shoved the orb in his pocket and tried to walk away but tripped and fell over the chain that bound him to Belzac. Everyone chuckled at him as he stood up and tried to rub the mud off his clothing. He smirked and continued walking. The crowd broke up and grabbed as many belongings as they could salvage. Everything was either damp or completely soaked and would need to be dried off during the day. As they began to exit the mountains, Rose looked back at the Dragon's corpse. She was slightly saddened that she had to slay such a creature, but the Dark Dragon urged her onward and told her, "Not to look back." As the sun rose up in the morning, it revealed a large expansion of land. They had reached the plains.


	10. Chapter 10

**Disclaimer: **Nothing owned, same as always.

_**Chapter 10:**_ _The Final Ties_

A hooded woman in a black cloak pushed aside a large metal door. The door was extravagantly carved and engraved, as if someone had put an entire lifetime into making that one door. The woman briskly walked through the pitch black room, her cloak swishing from side to side behind her. She came to a table that seemed to resemble a tree root. In the center was a bright glowing light and in the midst, a map of all of Endiness. She glanced quickly at it and then looked across the table to see a man in a seat inspecting the map. He concentrated at certain points and then quickly moved on to the next location. His face was blacked out by his hood hanging over him. Long gray fingers would periodically poke out of the apparent sleeves and move pieces to a new location. The woman looked at him for some time until he noticed her presence. He looked up to reveal a pointed nose, eyes that lit up blue and a tattooed face. His gray complexion offset his black cloak and seemed unnatural. The woman straightened up and spoke in a flinty and nervous voice.

Woman: "They are complete."

The man's voice was hoarse and deep. The voice pierced the room even at a whisper. The woman felt shivers go down her spine as she stood in his presence.

Man: "Excellent. Now, it seems, we can begin what I have been striving for since I was a child... We must execute the plan, now!"

Woman: "But... the fall isn't for a few years. Why do we have to do it now?"

Man: "It must be done now for I have said it shall be done... Now!"

Woman: "But... you do realize what you'll be doing, right?"

The man had begun to get angry and had an intent to kill in his voice.

Man: "Are you disobeying my authority?"

Woman: "N-n-no! Of course not! I'm just saying that this is a great risk... and I just don't want to lose you."

Man: "Don't worry... I have always said you worried too much..."

Woman: "That's what sisters are for... I just want you to be careful."

The man cracked a smile, a sinister, evil smile.

Man: "Like, I said... you don't have to worry. When my plan is executed, I will be more than fine."

Woman: "I don't know about that, though. Stopping the fall is unnatural and I won't let you do this unless you are perfectly certain that it won't backfire. If it does, you could be killed."

Man: "I understand the consequences and I am positive that there will be no problems whatsoever. I need you to trust me on this. Without your trust, I can't do this."

Woman: "No, no, I trust you. Is there anything else I can do?"

Man: "Just continue the enchantments for now. I will call for you when I am ready to start the spell. And tell that stupid subordinate of mine that I wish to see him and that if he doesn't show up, he can be assured that he will never see the light of day again."

The woman nodded and turned to walk away. She reached the door and turned again.

Woman: "I have one more question..."

Man: "What is it?"

Woman: "Why do you want to stop the fall? It doesn't seem to benefit our cause..."

Man: "Well, Charle, if I told you it wouldn't be top secret..."

Charle: "Just don't do anything stupid Melbu..."

Rose walked along the flat plain lands, the sun beating down on her neck, the heat causing her to feel lightheaded and uncomfortable. The horse she was riding showed signs of fatigue as they continued onward through the Palmira Plains. Diaz walked close to her, still reading long parchment documents. He had shrugged of her story about what had happened in the mountains, like it was just an imaginative story told by a young child. She knew he saw everything, but hid it from her. When he noticed her looking at him, he would smile widely and she would roll her eyes. As if being with him wasn't embarrassing enough, he had to act like an idiot too. She looked back toward the mountains and noticed that they were beyond sight. They had traveled for two days but it didn't seem they were going that fast. She decided to get off the horse and let it get a rest from her. as the wind blew, the tall grass and reeds whipped her in the legs, stinging them a bit. They didn't travel much longer for the sun had increased in intensity and the horses were beginning to pant for air. The tents had dried off and were set up to protect them from the sun's fury. When she entered the tent, it was stuffy and hot, and was not a place she would want to spend her whole day, but it was better than out in the open. She rubbed her neck and flinched at the slight sunburn. Damia was even more red than she was, for Damia was used to a rather temperate climate. Her skin had reddened and stung, something she had never really experienced. Shirley seemed fine, not a single patch of burnt skin, but she had discomfort from the heat. The beds were lain out and they took a small rest. There was one more stop along the way to Bale. A large human town, mostly made up of vagabonds and outcasts, Diaz had said.

Rose: "That place seems perfect for me..."

Dark Dragon: "You don't belong there anymore... Like I said the other day, don't look back."

As the heat passed and night crept over the sky, the meal was being cooked and everyone felt at peace for once. Laughter filled the camp which lifted the spirits of the men. Rose ate her food with content.

Rose: "It seems they are finally getting this cooking thing. Still not great, though..."

Damia: "I think it's great!"

Rose: "..."

A few hours later, everyone had fallen asleep except for Rose a few who decided to stay up later and have a good time. Rose sat by the fire and stoked it several times before the embers began to die. She looked to the stars, looking for familiar constellations. she searched and searched, but found nothing. The distance she had traveled changed her sky... she had traveled a long way. She looked up at the moon expecting to see the same face she saw every night. It also had changed to something foreign. She sighed with a hint of sadness and continued to look at the moon. As she stared, the moon's color began to change slightly and became a slight blue. Bright blue cracks formed at the bottom left side of it. Rose was puzzled as it remained like this.

Rose: "That's very odd..."

Dark Dragon: "I agree... someone is disrupting nature."

Rose: "Is there really someone with that much power?"

Dark Dragon: "I'll give you one guess."

Rose scowled as she figured it out. The Winglies really don't care for anything, not even the planet they "rule." She got up and went to her tent and laid herself down on her bed. Too infuriated, she fell asleep without much thought. The next morning, she left the tent and noticed that the moon had still remained in the same place. This infuriated her even more but the Dragon assured her that there is nothing they can do about it now. She brushed it off and mounted her horse and they continued crossing the plains. Later in the day, she saw something in the distance. The plains stretched endlessley in all directions, and the only thing in sight was the structure they were slowly approaching. As they day dragged on, the structure was distinguishable. A fence stretched in both directions for many yards. In front of them was a large cattle farm. A man stood in front of his house and tried waving them down with a large white cloth tied to a stick. They detoured to meet the man and he seemed very relieved that they stopped for him.

Farmer: "Thank you so much for stopping."

Diaz: "What's the problem?"

Farmer: "I'm having quite a bit of trouble here. Someone is stealing my cattle!"

Diaz: "... Is this why you called us over?"

Farmer: "Why yes, yes it is."

Diaz: "I'm afraid we can't help you. You see, we are a military unit headed for home and we not only can't deter from our main course, but we also are not in charge of local disturbances. You have to report the losses to a local authority and have them do something about it."

Farmer: "Have you seen these plains! There are no local authorities and I doubt any local squad could handle my problem! Please, I need your help!"

Diaz: "There seems to be something you're not telling us... why can't anyone else help you?"

Farmer: "Well... I think it's some kind of large animal doing this to my cattle... I keep finding pieces of them everywhere, heads, legs, you name it, I have found it."

Diaz: "Did you ever assume it may be a person playing a sick joke?"

Farmer: "Yes, yes I did... until I found a hide with bite marks in it. But the thing is, I have never seen this bite before. It's very large, bigger than any wolf or dog could have."

Diaz: "I see... But even if this is so, there is still nothing we are allowed to do."

The farmer took out a large sack that jingled when he threw it on the ground. He looked up confidently and put his hands on his hips.

Farmer: "I believe that this donation to the Human Resistance is enough to pay for the small distraction from the mission. Please, I beg of you, this creature has taken many animals from me and my income has sharply dropped. Please!"

Diaz sighed and kicked the gold back to the farmer. The farmer was upset and disappointed but as Diaz nodded in agreement, he perked up immediately and shook Diaz's hand furiously in ecstatic joy.

Farmer: "Thank you! Thank you so much! I'll kill my fattest boars and have my wife prepare them for a large feast for your soldiers!"

There was a cheer among the group. They never had a chance to do something like this and get a meal out of it. The camp was set up and they all sat around waiting for their complimentary meal. Another cheer broke out when the meat and bread was brought out and they ate to their fill. This was their second night with relaxation and they seemed to enjoy it.

The hooded woman entered the dark room once again, followed closely by a red bearded wizard with a long staff. The door shut quickly and slammed behind them, giving them a jolt. Light filled the room, making it visible. The floors and walls were made of marble and the ceiling seemed to go up for hundreds of yards. Thick columns made of granite lined a wide pathway leading to the tree root table. Right behind the table was an ebony throne made of wood and had gold burned into it in amazing designs. Charle looked around, looking for her brother, Melbu, and huffed with annoyance. Faust, who stood next to her, sighed with relief. A man called to them from behind one of the columns. Melbu walked out from behind it and faced them. Faust trembled and dropped to his knees into a bow. Charle lowered her head, paying her respects.

Charle: "The prevention was successful, Melbu. You were right."

Melbu: "Good, good. Well done. Give the seers and the enchanters my regards. They did a job well done."

Charle: "They will be glad to receive it from you."

She turned and walked to the door.

Melbu: "Wait... After you thank them... Kill them."

Charle: "What! But they-!"

Melbu: "Do it, Charle! I can't leave them alive if they know my plan!"

His voice echoed in the room. She was horrified. Her lips trembled and she bowed in compliance. She opened the metal door and left. Melbu then turned his attention to Faust, who was still face down on the floor.

Melbu: "Arise my friend."

Faust slowly stood up and faced his master, his staff tapping in the ground with each and every shiver of fear flowing through his body.

Melbu: "You understand that they must die, don't you?"

Faust: "Y-yes, of course! They can't stay alive if there is the possibility that they can reveal the plan."

Melbu: "So I made the right choice?"

Faust: "Yes, master, of course!"

Melbu nodded and sighed. He rubbed the bottom of his chin with his long gray fingers, revealing lengthy black nails sharpened to a point. He looked back at Faust.

Melbu: "I'm glad I can still confide in ONE person I know. That's you, Faust... would you say that I can tell you anything?"

Faust: "Yes, my Lord..."

Melbu: "And would you say that I can trust you to undertake anything I ask you to do?"

Faust: "Y-yes, my Lord."

Melbu: "Is that so?"

Melbu had put his face directly in front of Faust's. Beads of sweat poured down Faust's face and his heart was beating faster and faster.

Faust: "Yes, master, I would do anything for you!"

Melbu nodded again and walked away. Another sigh of relief came from Faust, but halfway through it, Melbu had clenched Faust's neck with his long, bony fingers and started to choke him. He slammed Faust's head against the metal door and pushed down harder on his neck.

Melbu: "The beating heart of a lier is heard over the voice of a truth teller!"

Faust: "S-sir! Pl-please!"

Melbu: "Defeated by humans! How much lower can you sink!"

Faust: "Sir! Please, let me expl-!"

Melbu's grip hardened and Faust tried gasping for air. Speaking was almost impossible under his master's force.

Melbu: "I could let you explain... I also could stop the lies right now. Which would you prefer?"

Faust: "L-! L-!"

Melbu: "I guess you mean 'live?'"

Faust tried to nod but it came out as a little twitch. Melbu's grip loosened and Faust fell to his knees. He took a huge gasp for air and continued to pant for more. His body shook horribly and held his neck with one of his hands.

Melbu: "Let me get this straight... YOU want ME to let YOU live because YOU couldn't complete one of MY orders!"

Faust vigorously shook his head, trying to speak but his throat was tender and slightly closed up. Melbu waited for his answer, but when it didn't come, he continued on with his bashing.

Melbu: "And not only did you get defeated, injured, and made a complete failure by humans, but by a human CHILD! One that wasn't even old enough to be considered an adult! And not only that, the human was FEMALE! Hm, let me think... Young, human, and female... you went for the trifecta of humiliation! And not only did you humiliate yourself, but you humiliated me. I do NOT like HUMILIATION!"

Faust was frantically trying to plead his case but nothing could get past the frog in his throat. He coughed and wheezed, still trying to talk.

Melbu: "You are WORTHLESS!"

Melbu went back to his throne and sit down. He leaned onto one of the arms and put his hand on his forehead while still looking at Faust.

Melbu: "What am I to do with you? I can't have a failure in my cause... a failure that can't handle a female human child... a failure that is too afraid to even be in the presence of his master..."

Faust swallowed and found his voice at last.

Faust: "But master, I am the only person, other than yourself, worthy enough to lead the extermination!"

Melbu: "Oh, are you? Are you saying that no other Wingly, other than myself, is strong enough to lead my troops into battle? Are you saying that with your own ability, you can lead these warriors into battle and defeat the enemy without problems? Are you saying that I can't train a single Wingly to be better than you are right now?"

Faust: "Sir, I- NO!"

Melbu: "Oh, so now you're saying that I can make someone better than you? Ok, I'll do that. You are relieved of your position, and you will not be present in any battle for the rest of your days. You will also be shunned by each and every Wingly in Endiness, and be counted as an outcast. You will retreat to Flanvel and stay there."

Faust: "But... sir..."

Melbu: "Am I clear?"

Faust: "But!"

Melbu: "If I have to repeat myself, you will not live!"

Faust put his head down. He picked up his staff and opened the metal door. He was about to walk out when Melbu stopped him.

Melbu: "Faust..."

He looked back with surprise, like he knew Melbu would reinstate him.

Melbu: "Have a nice life..."

Faust was disappointed again and left the marble room. Melbu sat in his throne and shook his head.

Melbu: "Such incompetence... Oh well..."

The lights went out in the room, the tree root table lit up and the map appeared. Melbu continued to move pieces around making a few changes to his plans and smiled when he heard Faust wail out in anger.

The fire roared at the farm. The men were dozing off but were managing to stay awake. The herd of cattle stood in front of them. Rose thought they were the strangest animals she had ever seen. They were like a horse, but wider and with horns curled like a ram's horns. Instead of hooves, they had toes but they were hard like a hoof. The tails were long and puffy, some tails were shaved. She supposed that the hair was used for fabric. The cattle slept while standing, which she thought was strange, but she assumed that a few animals could do it. Diaz sat next to her and handed her more food.

Diaz: "Here, have some more."

Rose: "I don't think I can eat anymore..."

Diaz: "Eat as much as possible... becasue you will not have another meal like this... ever."

Diaz cracked a wide smile and she rolled her eyes again. She watched the animals again as they snored and swayed back and forth.

Diaz: "I can't help but think about that Dragon you slew."

She looked at him, this time with surprise.

Rose: "How so?"

Diaz: "Well, you once said that these Dragons have personalities. We killed a creature with the ability to choose."

Rose: "We do the same with Winglies..."

Diaz: "Yes, but the reason we kill the Winglies is because we are defending our right to choose freely. And if our "right" isn't a good reason, then their reason for killing us isn't good either."

Rose: "I see what you mean... But I was told by the Dragons themselves that they have to be killed. That's reason enough, I think."

Diaz: "Heh... I guess it is. Being told by the creatures themselves is a pretty good reason..."

A small rumble shook the ground but they thought it was one of the animals.

Rose: "These are some weird things... I've never seen anything like them."

Diaz: "Me neither. I didn't know they existed. But they do, apparently."

Another small rumble. They looked toward the animals and saw nothing.

Rose: "I'm surprised this farmer actually tried to bribe us."

Diaz: "Well, bribes usually come in the form of donations. It usually means that you can take however much you need and then donate the rest. Most donations don't even make it to the place it was donated to."

Rose: "I didn't know you were so honorable."

Rose chuckled at him and he tried to plead his case. Another rumble across the ground got their attention.

Rose: "What is that?"

Diaz: "I have no idea."

Rose stood up and looked toward the animals. One had fallen over and all she saw was its head behind the other creatures. The others were awake and looking around. Another rumble came and the animals took off. They stampeded across the large enclosure to the other side. The one Rose saw on the ground had been obstructed by the other animals, but was now in the open. Only the head remained and the ground was soaked with blood. Another rumble plagued the animals. They made a distressed sound and tried to get away from the source. Diaz and Rose ran hopped over the fence and went to the creatures. The other men went into the enclosure and tried to find the culprit. The animals were stressed and continued to make noises. Another rumble came and the noises got louder. The rumble became constant and Rose tried to stay on her feet. The animals started running again and almost trampled them. Rose felt something move under her feet trying to come up but then switched direction toward the stampeding animals. Diaz followed it, as if he felt it too. Rose went with him as a creature exploded from the ground and lunged for the creatures. The men threw a net and tangled the beast. It tripped over its own feet and came to a rolling stop. The dust it kicked up faded away and the animals fled from the creature. When Rose reached it, she bent down to see it. The light from the moon revealed its identity.

Rose: "Well, what do you know...?"

The creature that lay before her was a very small Dragon. The head was in the shape of a spade, for digging, and its scales were shimmering gold. The tail was almost nonexistent but it was there. Its claws were also spaded but were sharp nonetheless. The teeth were pointed but they were very small and were many. Blood covered its face and it looked at Rose. It let out a whimper which surprised her. This was a pretty whimpy Dragon for one that killed so many cattle.

Dark Dragon: "We have found the last."

Rose: "What!"

Everyone looked at her as she exclaimed out loud. She blushed slightly and looked back down at the Dragon.

Dark Dragon: "Yes, this is the final Dragon we must find."

Rose: "I have to kill it?"

The Dragon stood up but couldn't move because of the net. With its neck completely outstretched, it only reached to Rose's hip. Its body was flat and its legs were stubby. It rubbed its head on her leg and it left her stunned.

Rose: "I think... it likes me..."

Dark Dragon: "You are looking at the most primitive of Dragons. Although it is very small, it is the oldest of us as well as one of the most powerful. It can shape earth into any shape it pleases."

Rose: "Can it not speak?"

Dark Dragon: "Like I said, it's very primitive. It never learned a language."

The Dragon continued rubbing its head on her leg. She bent down and took off the net.

Diaz: "What are you doing!"

Rose: "It's not going anywhere."

When the net was off, the Dragon jumped for joy and the ground shook slightly. It walking around, rubbing its head on everyone's legs. Syuveil ran from it and it chased him until he stopped. Damia giggled and Shirley stood there and tried not to notice it. Diaz folded his arms and shook his head. Kanzas looked at it quizzically and he lightly kicked it away. Belzac tried to pet but it recoiled from him and went back to Rose. They were all puzzled.

Rose: "What a funny little guy."

Diaz: "Aren't we supposed to... you know..."

Rose: "I think we are... but I don't think I can..."

Dark Dragon: "We can... but there may be a different way..."

Rose: "Like what?"

Dark Dragon: "Well, there has always been another way, but that wouldn't have worked with all the other Dragons. They all had logic unlike this Dragon. We need to convince it to give up its spirit."

Rose: "But how do we do that? It can't speak."

Dark Dragon: "Try showing it the Spirit. It might get the idea."

Rose took the chain from her neck and held it out in front of the Dragon. It looked at it as it glimmered with a dark purple light. The Dragon was completely focused on the Spirit and wouldn't take its golden eyes off of it. In a sudden action, the Dragon got infuriated and went onto its hind legs. Rose's eyes widened. The Dark Dragon shouted to everyones' mind.

Dark Dragon: "RUN!"

The Gold Dragon landed on its front paws and the earth split in two. One side of the plains lifted several feet above their heads. The Dragon brought up rock from deep below the surface. Everyone had scattered and some were even stuck on the other side of the crack. Jagged rocks began to rise from below, some even sharpened to a point. Rose squeezed her Spirit and donned her armor. She took to the air, just missing a pointed rock coming up from underneath her.

Rose: "That was close..."

Dark Dragon: "Looks like we'll have to do this the hard way."

Rose: "We should have chosen the hard way first..."

Dark Dragon: "Well, it was worth a try."

The Dragon shot rock into the air toward her. She flew to the side to avoid it and reached for her sword. When her hand came up enpty, she became nervous and looked all over the ground for it. Her eyes locked onto it teetering on the edge of the large crack in the plains. She made a dive for it. Rocks were being hurled at her as she picked up speed. She grabbed her sword and tried to take off but was hit with a large rock. She dropped to the ground for a few seconds and took to the air again. She was hit several times while gaining altitude and was badly battered. She built up her courage and made a dive toward the Dragon with her sword pointed outward. The Dragon noticed her and waited for her to be in range of his attacks. When Rose got close, the Dragon put up a shield of stone, causing Rose to crash into it. She dropped to the ground in pain. The Dragon's shield turned into dust and it looked at Rose who was dazed and couldn't stand up. The Dragon made a lunge for her when Belzac came up behind it and slammed his axe down on its body. The axe went through cleanly and lodged itself into the ground. The Dragon's bottom half fell to the floor and the front half fell back. The head slammed on the ground and all the rock that floated around dropped to the ground with large thuds. Rose looked at Belzac as he picked up the small, bloody orb. He wiped it clean and it shined with golden brilliance. It seems the Dragon has chosen its partner, She thought. One less thing to find...

Faust entered Melbu's chamber once again. When he came in, he dropped to the floor again and bowed. The room lit up once more. Melbu sat in his throne, leaning on the right arm.

Faust: "Thank you so much, master, for reinstating me!"

Melbu: "Don't be so quick to thank me. I brought you back for one reason, and one reason only."

Faust: "What is it, master? I'll do anything!"

Melbu: "There is a specific Dragon that is giving us trouble. We need to traverse his land but he destroys everyone and everything in his path. We can't have such a dangerous creature against us. I need you to take care of it."

Faust: "Master... do you mean kill it!"

Melbu: "Yes, I mean 'kill it!'"

Faust: "Master, I will do as you wish."

Melbu: "Good. Now begone. I am still upset with you."

Faust: "Understood, my Lord."

Faust left the room in a hurry. He wanted to complete this task as quickly as possible so he could redeem himself in his master's eyes. Then he got a surge of anger. Why should HE do something so dangerous for someone who can't do it for himself? He decided to do this his own way. He would seal the Dragon in a cavern and make sure it never arises again. It's much easier to hide a problem than face it in the open. He transported himself to his Tower and set a course for the area the Dragon was ravaging. He and his men arrived shortly and saw the beast. The creature was incredibly large. It had seven wings, seven eyes, and was bigger than any Dragon the Winglies had slain in the past. It was indeed the King of Dragons. Faust sliced the top off a mountain using magic, revealing a dormant volcano. He then used all his power to wrap the Dragon in a magical chain and seal him in the volcano. The Dragon went into a coma that kept it alive but asleep for years upon years on end. Faust reported that he killed the beast to Melbu and was redeemed for his so called "effort." He remained Melbu's right hand man.

They continued onward through the plains. Behind them was a ravaged land which made the plains less flat. When the earth was lifted, it cause one side of the plains to go downhill, which happened to be the way they were headed. They were more comfortable walking through the plains now that the ease of going downhill was permanant. The final town before Bale came into view as they walked. From a distance, Rose could see that the town was very poor. Everything was brown and seemed shoddily made. How did it even become a town? It's more of an outpost than a place where many people live. When they got closer, her mind changed about it. There were several people buying and selling merchandise like a normal town. It seemed that the town was bigger than exoected as well. It was much like Caldera, only more people in a more confined space. When they entered the town, they drew stares from everyone they passed. She couldn't blame them. Everyone, including herself, was dirty and looked like they had just bathed in mud. They reached an inn and checked themselves in. Rose put the horses in the stalls they rented and went around the town to look around. She found a small bazar that was packed to the brim with people. She kept her personal belongings close to avoid pickpocketing, for she knew this was a great place for such things. Several people bumped into her and tried to take anything they could, but Rose was protecting everything. Then, a boy bumped into her and she looked at him. He was about fourteen years of age, had blonde hair that spiked up in several places and had bright blue eyes. He said he was sorry and kept going. Rose followed him with her eyes and then realized what had just happened. She checked everything she held and found that the green, velvet pouch was missing.

Rose: "No! Not that!"

Dark Dragon: "You have to get it back!"

She looked around for him and saw that he ducked into an alleyway. She followed him and saw that he had stopped to reap his reward. She tried to make a grab for it, but he moved and ran down the alleyway and into another.

Rose: "He has no idea who he's messing with..."

She followed him down the alley and saw that he disappeared.

Rose: "What? He's gone..."

She climbed a few boxes and grabbed onto the roof of a small building. She looked down into the alleys, hopping from building to building for they were very close together. She looked into each alley until she finally saw him. He stood with his back to a wall and leaned up against it as she hopped down from the roof to meet him.

Boy: "You sure are good. I didn't expect you to keep up."

Rose: "Give it back!"

Boy: "I'm afraid that's not possible. I need this so I can sell it and feed myself for the rest of my life."

Rose: "Hehehe... much like me when I was in this situation."

Boy: "Er... you?"

When Rose was about to tell him about her past, a large man grabbed the boy and held him so he couldn't move. The man grabbed the pouch and held it in his free hand. The boy struggled, trying to get free. Rose wanted to help him, but this man was doing her a favor.

Man: "What did you snag this time?"

The man opened the pouch and looked inside. The stone shined in his face and temporarily blinded him. He clapped his hands to his eyes, screaming in pain. The boy got free and kneed the man in the stomach. He fell down hard and was unconscious. Rose dove for the pouch and ran down another alley. The boy chased after her. She went from alley to alley, trying to escape from him. She looked back to see if he was there. When she noticed he wasn't, she stopped to catch her breath. She looked in the pouch and saw that the Spirit was still in there. She sighed in relief and began to walk back to the inn. She entered a new alley and was suddenly pinned to the wall by the boy.

Boy: "Hand it over!"

Rose: "Fine!"

She threw it into the air. He watched it go up and made a grab for it. After he caught it, he looked back at Rose and noticed something poking him in the chest. He looked down and Rose's sword was pointed at him. She outstretched her other hand toward the pouch. Still looking at the sword, he handed the pouch over to her.

Boy: "Hey, hey, no hard feeling, eh?"

Rose smirked and opened the pouch.

Boy: "What are you doing?"

Rose: "I'm checking something..."

She took the orb and let the pouch fall to the ground. She held the Spirit up to the boy and it shined with a red light that was brighter than most of the others. Rose sighed as the burden had been lifted. She had finally gathered all the Spirits and the people they correspond with. Now they all can train in Bale and be enabled to do what fate has in store for them. She put the orb into his pocket and poked him in the chest with the sword.

Boy: "What are you doing?"

Rose: "I'm giving you what is rightfully yours."

Boy: "So... that's it? You'll let me go?"

Rose: "Now I didn't say that. You're coming with me."

Boy: "With you? Where are we going?"

Rose: "We're going to Bale."

Boy: "Oh... What? Bale!"

Rose: "Start walking."

She poked him in the chest with the sword again and he turned around and started walking cautiously. They walked past the bazar and through the streets until they saw the inn. Diaz saw her walking with her sword to the boy and he threw his hands up in the air.

Diaz: "I surrender!"

Rose rolled her eyes and sighed while Diaz laughed off his horrible joke. He walked up to them and looked at the boy.

Diaz: "You know, this isn't a very nice way to tell someone you like them..."

Rose blushed and screamed in a very high voice.

Rose: "What are you talking about! You're a moron, Diaz, you always were, I swear if you don't-!"

Diaz: "Hey, hey! Take it easy! I was only joking!"

He smiled and she scowled at him. Now in seriousness Diaz continued on with the conversation.

Diaz: "So, who's this person?"

Rose: "I'll give you one guess."

She pointed to the Spirit on her chest and Diaz got it. He pushed Rose's sword down and grabbed the boy by his shoulders. He inspected his face which made the boy uncomfortable. Diaz stood up straight and sighed.

Diaz: "So many stragglers... How am I going to explain this to the king?"

Rose: "Tell him it's important that we receive the best training possible."

Diaz: "Like that will explain why I have brought him children instead of full grown soldiers. I guess I'll have to take a hit for this..."

Boy: "What is this all about?"

Rose: "I guess I'll have to explain everything... again..."

Boy: "Explain what?"

Diaz: "What's your name, boy?"

Boy: "My name... My name is Zieg, what is this all about?"

Rose: "Well, Zieg, let's go to the inn and I will explain everything."

Zieg: "About what!"

Charle entered Melbu's chamber once again. Instead of the black cloak, she was wearing an old looking dress. The lights came on in the room and temporarily blinded her.

Melbu: "Is everything going well?"

Charle: "Yes, just as you said."

Melbu: "I see. And there are no foreseeable problems?"

Charle: "None, for the time being."

Melbu: "So the fall will be stopped when it comes around?"

Charle: "Yes, the moon will not fall... but..."

Melbu: "But what?"

Charle: "We still haven't found a way to stop the-..."

Melbu: "We need not worry about that. If the moon doesn't fall, then we have nothing to fear."

Charle: "I have a feeling that this isn't about fear. What are you really doing with this, Melbu?"

Melbu: "I'm afraid I cannot tell you. If something does go wrong, I don't want you to be involved."

She shook her head and left the room. Melbu rubbed his face with stress. He cannot have her know his true plan. Now, the only thing left to do is wait.

Zieg sat there with his mouth open and the look of confusion on his face. He looked for words, but when they didn't come, he searched for more.

Zieg: "Are you kidding me?"

Rose: "Nope. It's all true."

Zieg: "I'm finding this hard to believe."

Rose: "Quite a few of us found it hard to believe. But we all had our minds changed by first hand experiences."

Zieg: "And when do I get that?"

Rose: "In time. But you must come to Bale with us."

Zieg: "Fine, whatever. I don't have a home here anyway."

He left with his hand in his pocket. Rose sighed and threw herself down in her bed. She had finally done it. She was exhausted, but knew she would have to keep moving forward. Tomorrow, they reached Bale, where they can complete their training, and fulfill their destiny.


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11: A Tower Raised From Rubble

Flaming arrows rained down upon the local battery. The relentless Wingly strike pushed the human line several miles behind their own region. The battery continued to fire upon the floating city. The sheer numbers in the Wingly ranks slowly wore down the human troops. A young soldier carrying a scroll ran through the battle ridden streets to an abandoned building in which the General of Operations was reviewing the plans. The soldier handed him the scroll and stood by for orders. The General hurriedly unrolled the scroll and started to swiftly read through it. After he finished, he through the scroll to the side where several other scrolls were tossed. He sighed with contempt and crossed out an entire platoon on his battlefield map. He circled three areas on the map and then called the soldier over to him. He quickly scribbled something on a roll of parchment and handed it to the soldier. The soldier ran out and cut through alleyways to reach his destination among the batteries. When he reached the building near the first cannon, he handed off the scroll to the maintenance crew. The crew followed the instructions to change the trajectory of the batteries and fired off at the new target.

Suddenly, the ground shook and the batteries were swallowed up by the ground. The dirt seemed to turn to quicksand as several platoons were overtaken by the sinking dirt. The remaining soldiers fled for their lives as friends disappeared into the ground. The center of operations was evacuated and the General rode away with haste and no regard for his own men. He arrived alone at the base camp where he told his superior officer what had taken place. Word spread throughout the camp that the event that they were trying to avoid came to be, Vellweb had fallen to their enemies. The next step was to move camp, which was not an easy operation. When the General was asked where his troops were, he tried to come up with an excuse for if it became evident that he abandoned his own brethren, the penalty was death. When nothing came to him, he broke into a sprint and tried to escape the inevitable. He was quickly tackled and forced into kneeling. Another soldier came from behind and put his sword tot he General's neck. The soldier pulled his sword back and swung down with all his might, relieving the General's shoulders of the burden of his head. His head rolled down a hill and into a nearby ditch, in which the body was thrown shortly after. The soldier that killed him placed him down and spat on his remains.

Soldier: "I can't stand traitorous scum..."

The soldier walked away and joined his comrades in packing up camp. The Wingly force had taken one of the most powerful strongholds the humans had. Now they must fall back to Fort Magrad, their only territory in the Snowfield of Gloriano. They trudged through snowdrifts and ice caves all the way back to the Fort. The gates opened to them and they quickly filed through. Fires were set in the streets to keep them warm. A young boy jogged through the openings in the divisions carrying a parcel to the Fort's center, where the Base of Operations was held. He knocked on the door where a soldier gave him a coin and took the parcel from him. The parcel passed through several hands until it reached a man in heavy red armor. He opened it up and peered at the set of scrolls that filled it. He read through many of them and grew even more weary. He pulled his visor up and wiped his brow with his hand. A woman stood off to the side and stepped forward into the light. Her armor clanked as she turned to face the man in red, her hair flowing behind her as she did so.

Woman: "Is anything wrong?"

Man: "This just seems to get worse and worse..."

Woman: "With Vellweb gone, there isn't much left we can do here in Gloriano."

Man: "I know. We can't give up Gloriano though. If we leave here, Bale will be the only city left."

Woman: "Then there is only one thing left."

Man: "And that is?"

Woman: "We'll just have to take Vellweb back."

Man: "That's easier said than done. We simply don't have the forces."

Woman: "YOU don't have the forces. I, on the other hand-."

Man: "I know what you can do, but you can't expect to take on the whole Wingly force by yourself, can you?"

Woman: "Well, it isn't just me! You know that! Please, just give us a chance!"

Man: "Enough! I will hear no more on this matter!"

She lowered her head discouragingly. The man in red sighed and shook his head, obviously frustrated.

Man: "I have known you for a long time and we are friends, and have been for six years... but you must remember that I am your Commander, and you will follow my orders to the letter. Do you understand me?"

The woman muttered something under her breath. She lifted her head to respond.

Woman: "I understand..."

Man: "Good. Now, I need you to service the training grounds again."

Woman: "But I did that yesterday!"

Man: "And you will do it again! Now go!"

Rose burst from the double doors, swiftly moving through the crowd of soldiers. She spoke to herself along the way, playing the scene over in her head, trying to make better statements that, if possible, she could go back and change Diaz's mind. Even after six years, he was still hardheaded and stubborn. She rounded a corner and trudged through a snowdrift. The cold started to bit into her skin. Each step seemed to sap her heat and energy. She sped up until she found the training grounds where the soldiers waited for their instructor. When they saw that their instructor was Rose again, they let out a sigh of frustration. They dislike have her instruct them, for they are truly put to work physically and mentally and become exhausted in all aspects. The last instructor was relieved and went to his next post. Rose, still fumbling with thoughts, stood in front of them. They grew restless and shuffled their feet in order to keep themselves occupied. Several minutes passed as they stood in silence. Finally, Rose came to, confused.

Rose: "What are you all waiting for? You know what to do."

The soldiers sighed again, threw down their swords and began to jog in their heavy armor. The clanking would stir any creature for miles around, but Rose stood firm, not bothered by the noise as she continued to play scenarios over in her head. Why won't Diaz trust her and the others? She knows her abilities as does Diaz and he has seen the power they all possess, but he turned down all offers of help. The clanking continued for almost an hour when Rose asked them to stop. Many of the soldiers fell to the ground, gasping desperately for air while others stood at attention, waiting for their next order. Many of these soldiers were no older than she was. Some shouldn't have picked up a sword for a few more years, however, the situation has forced them to enhance their skills too early, thus ruining their true potential. The training grounds were spewing out soldiers without testing their skills first. Without the necessary skills, Rose knew, they would die within the first few minutes of battle. Rose hated training the new recruits because it was beneath her level of skill. Ironically, most of the soldiers that remained were trained by Rose at one point or another. The recruits that fell to the ground had gotten up and waited once more for Rose's orders. Overwhelmed with thoughts, Rose simply did not feel up to the task at all.

Rose: "I'm giving you all the day off. Same time tomorrow."

Rose turned and left as the recruits murmured amongst themselves at the shocking event that just unfolded in front of them. She headed to her quarters, her only sanctuary in this Fort of pain and misery. Although she could have almost anything she wanted in the world, she was unhappy. She wanted the chance to not live in fear of her own life and those of the people she loved. As she arrived at her door, noises in the others rooms made her uneasy. The screams, laughs and cheers from many of the soldiers that had the day off annoyed her and interrupted her own thoughts. She quickly went into her room and locked the door. She lied down on her bed, armor and all, and stared at the ceiling. She wanted to speak to someone but found nothing. Her Dragon had left her years ago, saying she had done what she needed to do and needed the Dragon no more. She felt lonely afterward, but that was soon filled by her other friends. This made everything easier for her. People to confide in was what she really needed. The door rattled on its rusty hinges as someone knocked on it.

Rose: "Who is it?"

Voice: "It's me!"

Rose: "Come in..."

The door opened and a tall girl with blue hair walked in, in a full armored suit, the crest on the breastplate showing off her rank. She shut the door, cutting off a vulgar statement by a soldier yelling loudly at his bunkmate. She walked over to Rose and sat down on the chair near her bed. Rose took a glance at her then resumed staring at the ceiling.

Damia: "So what did Diaz say?"

Rose: "Nothing much at all..."

Damia: "Still won't let us fight, eh?"

Rose: "Nope..."

Damia: "Why do you think that is?"

Rose: "I'm not sure. Maybe he's afraid."

Damia: "Well, if I were in his position, I would be afraid too..."

Rose: "Really?"

Damia: "You're too forward with all your ideas. Sometimes the all out strategy isn't the best idea. I think Diaz knows that. He can't just throw away his troops, because if they fail, he needs more. The only problem is, there aren't any more!"

Rose: "I know! But I was just thinking that we could save many lives from destruction if we fought..."

Damia: "Maybe he's afraid of losing us..."

Rose: "You mean... not afraid of what we can do... but just the slight chance that we may never see him again?"

Damia: "Exactly."

Rose: "I doubt it..."

Damia: "Why?"

Rose: "Because he's not that kind of person."

Damia: "I've known him as long as you have, and I'm sure this is the reason."

Rose: "It may be, it may not be, the only way to find out is to fight."

Damia: "So we're back to that again, huh?"

Rose: "That's what the whole conversation was about in the first place. I want to fight, and he won't let us..."

The door rattled again as someone else knocked. Rose sat up on her bed, clanking the armor again.

Rose: "Yes?"

Voice: "Can I come in?"

Rose looked at Damia with a questioning look. Damia shrugged and motioned to the door.

Rose: "Come in."

The door opened again letting another tall woman into Rose's room. Her red hair was long and shiny. She also wore a full armored suit, but with a different crest as Damia's.

Shirley: "So what's the news?"

Rose: "Same old news..."

Shirley: sigh "What is his problem? He knows we can put a large dent in this war. But I suppose we should respect his wishes."

Rose: "Oh... you too?"

Shirley: "He's probably under a lot of pressure."

Rose: "He's going to be under a lot more pressure if he doesn't come up with a solution quickly."

Shirley: "Well, with this recent loss, the death of thousands of soldiers, and the disease he's been battling for three years, I'm sure that he has a lot on his mind."

Rose: "I know..."

Damia: "Don't spend too much time on this. He'll come around eventually."

Shirley and Damia both left Rose's room, slamming the door shut. Rose lied down again and resumed staring at the ceiling. Her eyelids felt heavy as she studied the bricks of the gray room. She closed her eyes and drifted off into a deep sleep. Diaz's struggles over the years were not easy. After they had reached Bale six years ago, he received news that the Supreme Commander had died of old age, however there was a controversy about the death. They say that after the Leader's death, the body showed signs of poisoning, but it was hushed by the higher ranks, hoping that stopping a shocking revelation could prevent a panic. But the seed had already been planted. With the death of the Supreme Commander, people urged for new representation. They pushed their own revolutionary, while the military tried to instate their own. Though both vowed for the throne, neither side won. Diaz saw the flaws in each side and pointed them out, utterly destroying their reputations, after which he usurped the throne. His rising to Supreme Commander of Humankind was welcomed with thunderous applause. Years after, things seemed to be going well... and then the disease struck him. He had lost the ability to use his appendages, legs and arms alike. He was bedridden for several weeks, crippled and on the brink of death. Somehow, he pulled through and regained his movement, but with this came a price. He had random shots of pain that ran up his legs and arms periodically throughout the day. Rose remembered those days. She stood with him as he screamed in pain. She felt helpless and would do anything to stop the pain. It was only until a year after he contracted the disease that she accepted that she could do nothing to help him, just stand by him until the pain subsided. For two years, she did this, but she can take it no longer. She wants to help him, regardless of what she can or cannot do.

Rose's eyes opened to a dark room. The candles she had lit had burned down to nothing and smothered themselves out. She got up and walked out into the long corridor outside her room. It was in complete silence except for a few snores. She went outside and felt the cold on her face. She looked up at the moon, its blue veins shining brightly against the black velvet sky. At least some things never change, she thought. Every night for six years, Rose has looked up and seen the moon. It hasn't moved and neither waned nor waxed. She then looked around her and counted in her mind the things that had changed in her life. She came to the conclusion that nothing of her original life remained. She saw a man approach. He stood next to her and watched the moon with her.

Zieg: "Out for your very early morning moon watch?"

Rose: "You know me all too well..."

Zieg: "I should after all this time."

Rose: "So... I'm guessing you heard what Diaz said?"

Zieg: "It's pretty hard to get information out of Shirley... Damia kept a lid on it for about two seconds..."

For the first time in days, Rose laughed. Damia was an interesting character. Other than her age and height, nothing about her changed at all. She then looked over her conclusion and threw it out. She didn't take into effect the friends she had.

Zieg: "Why do you look at the moon, anyway?"

Rose: "I don't know... it's not natural. The way I remember it, the moon always moved, but one day, it just stopped... and became like this."

Zieg: "I remember... but why, do you think?"

Rose: "The only thing I can say to explain it is that the Winglies have a hand in it."

Zieg: "What makes you think someone can stop a moon from moving?"

Rose: "Well, from what I've seen the Winglies do, they are very possible culprits."

Zieg: "I suppose you have a point. Well, want to get something to eat or do you want to stand in the cold all day?"

They both went to the Mess Hall, where a handful of soldiers were eating and drinking to their fill. The six parallel tables were very long, long enough to fit at least two-thousand people in the room. All the way at the end, a very tall, muscular man was eating his breakfast. When he saw them enter, he stood up, showing off how tall he really was. He seemed to get even bigger as he quickly moved up the center isle. The ground shook slightly with each of his steps, shaking exponentially greater as he got closer. His armor resembles Rose's, but it had a hint of gold and the crest was very large.

Belzac: "Good morning to you. How was the meeting with Diaz?"

Rose: "You already know the answer..."

Balzac: "Damn... well, you might as well join me for breakfast."

Zieg: "Aren't you done?"

Belzac: "Yes, but I can fit quite a bit more, haha!"

Their plates were covered in eggs and slabs of meat. Rose never liked these meals. It was so much food and it didn't really taste good. After a few bites, she pushed the plate away. Belzac looked at her questioningly. She shrugged and put her hands on her knees.

Zieg: "You should eat."

Rose: "I can't. I'm not that hungry anymore."

Belzac: "So, you won't be eating that?"

Rose: "No, you can have it."

Belzac: "Oh, I'm not gonna eat it... but I do have a little secret to tell you."

Belzac opened a small bag on the bench beside him revealing all the meat he has been hoarding. He poured what was on Rose's plate into the bag and closed it. He quickly put it on the floor between his legs.

Rose: "What... what are you..."

Belzac: "I've been keeping a dog in my room, and this thing eats a lot of food."

Zieg: "Er... you know for a fact that Diaz would let you keep a dog. Why are you hiding it?"

Belzac: "Well... I'll show you later. Just come to my room after today's meeting."

Belzac got up and walked out with his bag full of meat. Zieg and Rose stared at each other, not knowing what they should think. Zieg continued to eat while Rose sat, waiting for him to finish.

Zieg: "You know... every day we spend here doing nothing... I feel more and more worthless. We need to be doing something. We don't fight how we should, we don't even fight like normal people. No matter how much we try to change his mind, Diaz continues to turn us down."

Rose: "What can we do but keep trying? I want to fight as much as you do, but if we don't listen to him, we will be labeled traitors."

Zieg: "Diaz wouldn't do that to us."

Rose: "Do you have any idea how much he has changed?"

Zieg: "No, I don't. He only meets with you out of all of us. So whatever you say holds us in the balance too."

Rose: "I know... but what can I say?"

Zieg: "Say you will do it, regardless of what he says."

Rose: "But... I can't so that..."

Zieg: "Which is why we haven't fought yet. We would have fought a year ago, but you couldn't say it. Say it now... he will not argue, I promise you."

Rose: "I doubt it."

Zieg: "Just trust me."

He left the plate for the cleaners to take and they left the Mess Hall. They made their way to the Command Center where Rose had her daily meeting with Diaz. She walked up to the door while Zieg stood at the bottom of the small set of stairs and waited for her return. She pushed the double doors inward and walked into the well lit room. Diaz sat at the back in his throne. He looked up and motioned for her to sit down. Rose did so as he lifted his red visor. His face was drawn, as if he didn't sleep the night before. The bags under his eyes were dark and his eyes were glassy. Sweat beaded on his brow and he quickly wiped it with a cloth.

Diaz: "Sorry... I had a small bout with this disease last night. I didn't get any sleep."

Rose: "That's alright. I understand."

Diaz: "So... do you wish to try and change my mind again?"

Rose: "No..."

Diaz: "What? No? You usually have a mouthful of words for mine ears to hear. So many, in fact, that I tend to have another fit."

Rose: "I have actually come to change the so called tradition we have in these meetings."

Diaz: "Do tell. I wish to know."

Rose: "I want to tell you that we are going into Vellweb."

Diaz: "I thought I told you, we simply do not have the force to take back Vellweb!"

Rose: "You don't need to give us any forces. You can stay hear and lick your wounds, be we are ready to serve! We need to fight in order to give ourselves a chance to live on in the future!"

Diaz: "I forbade it before... I shall forbid it again."

Rose swallowed, afraid of what might come next. She built up her courage and said what she came to say.

Rose: "It doesn't matter what you say this time... we're doing it... and that is final. It's our turn to help you."

Diaz looked at her with surprise. He sighed and nodded. With one final, hard nod, the visor shut in front of his face.

Diaz: "If that is really how you feel, then by all means, do what you think is right. However, whatever happens to you out there is your fault. I take no responsibility for your lives."

Rose: "You relinquished that responsibility when you brought us here and trained us. We are our own responsibility now."

Diaz: "Yes... I suppose."

Rose stood up and bowed.

Rose: "We shall be victorious."

Diaz: "Come back safely. I don't want your death on my conscience."

Rose: "Who are you kidding, you don't have a conscience."

Diaz laughed hard behind his visor. He hacked a cough as the laugh started to take its toll on his brittle body. He signaled for her to leave and she did so. She pulled the double doors back and walked down the stairs where Zieg waited patiently. When he saw her, he stared at her with an unspoken question.

Rose: "Well, when you're right, you're right."

Zieg: "So we can go?"

Rose: "Apparently so."

Zieg: "YES!"

Zieg's shout of joy was so loud, several soldiers stopped walking and stared at him as if he were crazy. He looked around, embarrassed at his overreaction. They both quickly went to Belzac's room, where he told them to meet him about his dog. Several noises were sounding in the room and many of them were questionable. Rose knocked on the door and all the sounds ceased. Then, a quick shuffle was heard.

Belzac: "Who is it?"

Rose: "It's Zieg and I. You told us to come by."

Belzac: "Just a minute!"

More shuffling was heard and a loud shattering pierced the door. Rose and Zieg looked at each other, listening to the strange sounds going on inside. The door quickly opened and Belzac pulled both Rose and Zieg into the large room. It was more than twice the size of Rose's room and the bed took up most of the space. A moving lump was on the bed, struggling to free itself from the blanket that was covering it. Belzac shut the door with such force that the lump shot up with caution. He walked over to the lump and took the blanket from it. The creatures golden scales glistened in the candlelight. Its neck stood up tall and the fang teeth overlapped the bottom lip. It tilted its head to the side and looked at Rose and Zieg with curiosity. Zieg was clueless to what it may be, but Rose knew well enough what it was. What stood in front of them on Belzac's bed was a hatchling Dragon. It rubbed its head on Belzac's arm and curled up on his pillow.

Rose: "Belzac... how... where... just... explain!"

Belzac: "Isn't he glorious?"

Rose: "But... how did you get a Dragon?!"

Belzac: "Sh! You don't want to wake up the whole corridor! I got him from a traveler. He sold me an egg and the egg hatched."

Zieg: "What makes you think you can keep this here?"

Belzac: "Well, it won't turn on me because I was present at its hatching. It thinks I'm a parent. But when it grows older... I may have to move it somewhere safe."

Rose: "I can't deal with this right now... We're moving out, Belzac."

Belzac: "What? We got the order?"

Rose: "Not the order... we are doing this by ourselves."

Belzac: "I... I see... How am I going to take care of him when I'm gone? He might starve!"

Rose: "Leave him with Diaz."

Belzac: "But... What if he..."

Rose: "He won't. Diaz will take good care of him. Now go round the others up. We will take the East Wing. You take the West Wing."

Belzac threw the Dragon a piece of meat and left the room headed for his side of the Fort. Rose and Zieg went down the corridor and knocked on Syuveil's door.

Syuveil: "Come in!"

Rose opened the door to see and empty room filled to the brim with books. Many tall piles of books were stacked on the desktop, in imminent danger of toppling. Stacks of paper were all over the bed, as if it wasn't used for sleeping, just for extra space. Suddenly, a book slammed closed behind the towers of books and Syuveil stood up with his hands high in the air. His armor was tinted green and his hair had been cut very short, shorter than most of the other men. He wore glasses for his reading. His eyesight had been severely compromised after a few solid years of reading. Without them, he was as blind as a bat. He danced around for a little bit and pointed at Rose and Zieg.

Syuveil: "Do you know what this means?!"

Rose: "Er..."

Zieg: "You're crazy?"

Syuveil: "No! I have finally read all the books in the Fort Library!"

Zieg: "Oh... so you ARE crazy."

Syuveil: "Humph... Well, you may think it's strange, but I see it as a great accomplishment. So, what do you want?"

Rose: "We're going in."

Syuveil: "Ha! Yeah right, like Diaz would send us in now after the war is practically over! Seriously, why are you here?"

Rose: "Diaz isn't sending us in, we're going in by ourselves. Pack whatever you need because we may not come back for a while."

Syuveil: "This is madness! We aren't going in with any back up or anything and you expect us to take back a fallen city? Preposterous!"

Rose: "Pack your stuff. You're going."

Syuveil: "I didn't say I wasn't, but we must be crazy for doing this..."

Syuveil took a large pack and put it on the paper covered bed. He took a stack of books and placed them in his bag along with several other worthless trinkets and items.

Rose: "Syuveil... you aren't going to have much time for reading..."

Syuveil: "You never know..."

Rose and Zieg left his room as he shuffled and quarreled with himself about what to bring. Rose and Syuveil never really got along, but they both tolerate each other. Syuveil never really believe that this was his destiny, just that it was an obstacle to reach his real fate. Although Rose and the others gave him specific arguments with indisputable evidence, he still refused. He is stubborn, but he would listen. Rose knew she could trust him, but she could not rely on him for much. They went a few corridors down and came to another door.

Rose: "I don't want to see him."

Zieg: "I know... but he will only believe you because only you meet with Diaz."

Rose: "But... I hate him."

Zieg: "Don't' worry... I'll be with you."

Rose choked back her pride and knocked on the door. Nothing came from within. She knocked again. In the middle of her knock, the door lightly swung open. In the room, only one candle was lit and light was scarce. Everything was in disarray. It appeared that the room was completely empty. As Rose closed the door, Kanzas appeared from behind the door. His eyes were what Rose feared the most. His eyes were always filled with defiance and hatred, a hatred beyond comprehension for anything living. The only thing that would seem to give him peace was snuffing that life out. Rose recoiled, frightened by his approach. He laughed as she stumbled backward. She shook her head at him and gave him a few choice words. He laughed even harder and slapped his knee with a gloved hand, the armor clinking loudly together.

Zieg: "Alright, that's enough."

Kanzas: "What do you want?"

Rose: "We're moving out. Pack up."

Rose immediately turned and left Kanzas in his doorway. Zieg tried to catch up to her as she sped down the corridor and away from her least favorite place in all of the Fort. She and Kanzas had never had a very good relationship. It came to Rose's attention shortly after they reached Bale that Kanzas had befriended her just so she could help him out of his jail cell. He gained her trust and that alone was enough for Diaz to pull some strings to get him out of his sentence. Little did she know, he really did slay his entire family, and many other families across the city of Karlahn. He was a heartless brute that should have rotted away in a cell for the rest of his days. Her feelings wanted him dead, but she knew that without him, they wouldn't fulfill their destiny. After she turned the corner, she punched the wall, hurting her hand. Her glove turned red as she bled through it and blood dripped onto the floor. She flexed her hand, making sure it wasn't broken..

Zieg: "You did well."

Rose: "Really? I couldn't stand it."

Zieg: "How could you hate him so much?"

Rose: "He betrayed me... nothing is worse than betrayal."

Zieg: "Even so, you need to learn to forgive him."

Rose: "I can't!"

Rose started to speed down the corridor again. Zieg tried to keep up as several groups of soldiers were waking up, avoiding Rose in one of her rages. They mostly got out of her way, but some were not so lucky. She pushed over three young soldiers who fell to the ground with heavy crunches. Zieg pulled them up quickly and continued to follow her back to her room.

Zieg: "Can't we talk about this?"

Rose: "No."

Zieg: "If you don't, you won't get over it."

Rose: "I don't want to get over it."

Zieg: "Why are you so stubborn?"

Rose: "I'm stubborn?"

Zieg: "Obviously more than you know. You can't live the rest of your life in fear of him. And you certainly can't let him get to you like this."

Rose: "I'm not afraid! I simply loathe him! I can never forgive him. I'm sorry, but I want to be alone for a while."

Zieg: sigh "Fine, but don't let it eat you up inside. You need to be all there when we lead the attack."

Zieg left, seemingly frustrated with Rose, but she didn't care at the moment, for she was still caught up on her hatred of Kanzas. She sat down on her chair for a while to cool herself down. Talking to him really takes it out of her. All of her energy goes to her anger, but she manages to hold back her urges to beat him to a pulp. She knew that if she really did hit him, he would utterly destroy her, since he was a man of extremes. She felt that, given the provocation, he would kill her.

Rose: "Why am I wasting my time over him? He doesn't deserve my thoughts."

Rose got up and opened her door to see Damia standing before her.

Damia: "I heard you and Kanzas had a... confrontation."

Rose: "More of an exchange of words... I was doing the exchanging."

Damia: "Haha! Well, he deserves it. He's a jerk to everybody, so don't think it's just you. You may have more of a reason to dislike him than we do, but just try to give him a chance."

Rose: "I don't feel like talking about this right now."

Damia: "That's okay... I have Training Ground duty. I'll see you tomorrow when we leave."

Damia ran down the hallway and stopped halfway, shouting back at Rose.

Damia: "I forgot! Shirley was looking for you!"

Damia turned and disappeared from sight. Shirley? What could she want? Rose went down the same corridor as Damia and continued until she met Shirley in the hallway with a table taking up the whole width of the hall. She saw Rose and waved her down. As Rose approached the table, she saw that it had a map of Vellweb on it depicting the exact place of the Floating Fortress of which they recently discovered the name, The Tower of Flanvel. Belzac stood behind Shirley as she sat down at the table. Many soldiers wanted to get by, but the table blocked their way. They knew well enough, though, not to mess with any of those seven.

Shirley: "You already know what this is. I'm trying to go over a strategy."

Rose: "What do you have?"

Shirley: "Diaz is right, we can't expect to take on the whole army with just the seven of us. We'll need to go in quietly."

Rose: "How do you propose we sneak into a flying city? Not to mention a heavily occupied area."

Shirley: "That's the tricky part. I'm sure the surrounding area is being patrolled by the Wingly Infantry. And I'm also sure the entrances are guarded as well."

Rose: "So... we're marching into a seemingly impossible scenario?"

Shirley: "It's not impossible. It will just take a lot of time. Or..."

Rose: "Or?"

Shirley: "We'll have to use decoys while one person goes in and infiltrates the Fortress."

Rose: "Well, then there would be six people against a whole army and one just hopping around inside a tower. That's not exactly what we want to do."

Shirley: "Well, I'm sure you will be all for this idea when you find out who the owner of the Tower is..."

Rose: "Who?"

Shirley: "Your old friend, Faust."

Rose: "What?!"

Shirley: "I knew it. You want revenge, don't you?"

Rose: "I'll do it. I will sneak in and take care of him."

Shirley: "I thought so. So, we'll go with the decoy plan. I'll spread the word. We should leave as soon as possible tonight would be best."

Shirley stood up and wrapped the map and plan in a scroll and handed it to Belzac. They folded the table and Belzac walked down the corridor and disappeared, headed toward Diaz with their proposed plan of entry. Shirley went into her room and closed the door behind her, leaving the table folded and on the floor, in the way of the passers. Rose still remembered the day when she met Faust. It was also when she discovered her mysterious power. She had managed to injure him and she was sure that he would want to exact revenge on her. Now she can finish her job and stop Faust once and for all. She hurried back to her room where she grabbed a pack and loaded it with supplies and necessities, such as healing herbs and supplements. She kept her armor on and placed her helm into the pack along with the rest of her things. She took the chain from around her neck, lifting the sphere out of her breastplate. The candlelight caught the sphere at an angle that turned the walls purple and black. Rose loved doing this, for it made her remember the past when she had no worries but training. That was all over now, since she had grown up and now held a great responsibility to her race. She sighed and shook her head, trying to remember how she got into this in the first place. Then she remembered her father and brother, the way she found them. Nothing would make her feel better than get her revenge on the people who slaughtered her family. She tied the chain around her neck and thrust the pack over her shoulder. She grabbed her trusty sword and buckled it around her waist, always on the left side. She locked her door and walked to the meeting area, where she and the others always came together for assignments. The sun was beginning to set and everyone was ready to leave. Everything was packed and set for their short trip. Belzac arrived the latest carrying a scroll from Diaz.

Belzac: "I had to tell him about my... pet. He's sending him to a mountain with the other Dragons and that I can go to see him at any time."

Zieg: "That's good. I hope he remembers you when we see him though..."

Belzac: "This scroll wishes us luck, but this mission is not warranted, so any successes are not recognized."

Rose: "The success doesn't need to be recognized. We just need to succeed."

Shirley: "I'm sure if we succeed, we'll get more recognition than we can handle."

They nodded and headed for the gate. They drew several soldiers' gazes and they were afraid that they may have to move out. The gate quickly opened by order of Diaz and they were ushered out by the guards. The trip was short, but they could not fly, for they needed all their energy for the upcoming operation. As they distanced themselves from the Fort, the lights turned into small sparkles, like stars behind them. The night sky was lit up like day with the bright moon overhead. The blue veins shined brighter than the day before, like cracks in stone filled with translucent ice. The cold was bitter, causing their teeth to chatter. Shivers ran up their spines, futile attempts by their bodies to heat themselves up. Their footprints in the snow seemed to disappear with the blowing wind. The snow was like an ocean, the top layer blowing moving like waves and building up against boulders that rolled down from up above the canyon walls. As they continued on, the snow began to recede and the light brown dirt was peeking through the white drifts. The wind was now picking up a mixture of dust and snow, whipping it into their faces making them sting. Their body heat warmed the cold metal of their armor, but it was not enough to stop the brisk, freezing air. They were tired and needed rest. They sat on a nearby boulder and tried to warm up.

Rose: "How much farther is it?"

Shirley: "A few more miles... We should get there a few hours before daybreak."

Zieg: "We should make our strike as quickly as possible, then. When they least expect it."

Damia: "Wouldn't that be during the day, though? They wouldn't expect an attack in broad daylight."

Shirley: "Even though that is true, we are too easily seen during the day."

Kanzas: "Quit your bickering. We don't need to hide at all. We just need to kill each and every one of them."

Belzac: "Don't talk to them that way!"

Kanzas: "What do you know, you big mutt?! I bet you don't have the backbone to kill someone!"

Belzac: "I have been a soldier for twenty years! I know exactly what it's like!"

Syuveil: "Please, be quiet. Can't I get a moments peace without someone yelling all the time?"

Everyone started arguing, their voices echoing into the night. Rose, Zieg, Syuveil and Damia stood off to the side, watching the others exchange words. With each of Kanzas' comments, Rose grew more angry. What could he possibly know about someone's feelings? He couldn't even comprehend his own, for he simply gives into anger far more easily than any other feeling. A small noise radiated from behind them and Rose quickly turned her head. She looked and saw nothing but the boulder and a snowdrift. She heard it again, a crackling that seemed to have come from a burning fire.

Zieg: "What's wrong?"

Rose: "I think we have company... BE QUIET!"

The feuding threesome went silent. Rose continued to stare behind her while the crackling continued. She slowly grabbed her bag and took her helm from it. She placed it on her head and slowly unsheathed her sword. As the tip was about to be released, a Wingly burst from the snowdrift while casting magic. Fireballs flew in all directions, some glancing off their specially made armors. Rose reached to the Wingly with her sword and pierced his neck. Another came from behind unsuspectingly and bashed Rose on the head. Rose fell to the ground and watched her friends get beaten by a mass of Winglies that were in hiding from the start. Her vision was fading and the pain started to subside. Her eyesight was completely gone and she became unconscious. She drifted along, feeling nothing but unease. What seemed like seconds later, she opened her eyes to see a cell-like room. The walls were like tree roots, wiry and rough. The only light in the room was coming from a green circle in the center. She lifted her head and felt a sharp pain in her head. She placed her hands where she had been hit. She was lucky she put on her helm, the blow alone could have killed her. Her helm remained, but her sword was gone from its usual place.

Kanzas: "Good to see you awake... Haha!"

Rose looked over to see Kanzas leaning against the transparent wall. Some magic was shaped to make the image of bars. His back faced her which gave Rose the feeling that he already tried every means of escape.

Rose: "I hope they hit you... really hard."

Kanzas: "They did... my head was bleeding for hours."

Rose: "Where are the others?"

Kanzas: "I see Belzac over there, but I'm not so sure about the others."

Rose: "It seems like you don't really care."

Kanzas: "You have to learn to detach. If you have emotions, you can be easily compromised if they are hurt or damaged."

Rose: "What do you know about emotions?"

Kanzas: "There's no reason to be sore with me after all these years. You need to learn to get over these things."

Rose: "Maybe you shouldn't have stabbed me in the back!"

Kanzas: "I didn't! You let your guard down! You were too quick to trust, and when you thought you knew me, you thought you were betrayed. It was you who betrayed yourself."

Rose: "But... you... you killed those people!"

Kanzas: "And?! You need to come up with something better than that! You've killed people! I know this for a fact! And yet you think I'm the worse person!"

Rose: "You killed your family. You were lucky enough to even have one."

Kanzas: "Is that what this is about? Your family? Maybe you should straighten it out with them."

Rose: "I can't..."

Kanzas: "Ah... so it is THAT? Well, don't blame your problems on me. I had nothing to do with the death of your family."

Rose: "I know..."

Kanzas: "So why do you blame me? I think I already know the answer. You need someone to blame."

Rose: "That's not true. I don't blame you for their deaths... I blame you for setting an example for people. You take families for granted, like they aren't important at all."

Kanzas: "My family hindered my potential. So, I had to get rid of them. It's that simple."

Rose: "Was it really that simple to kill the people you love?"

Kanzas looked at her with a sinister smile on his face. He was about to answer, but a bright light coming from Rose's cell interrupted him. She saw a figure approach her and knelt down in front of her. She recognized the red beard, the bald head and the staff he held. His robes crumpled onto the floor while he knelt. He stared at the helmed face of Rose, but he knew not who it was. As he bent to peer into the helm, he cringed with pain and grabbed his shoulder, the one Rose had injured years earlier. She smiled as if she were content, glad that something she inflicted so long ago still pained him today. Luckily for Rose, he could not see the smile. Faust glared at her.

Faust: "Who are you? Why are you here?"

Rose: "Why would you like to know?"

Faust: "Because I have reason to believe that you plan to attack. Explain yourself!"

Rose: "Hahaha! Attack? Us? With seven people against a whole force of Winglies? You need to get some facts straight... or a better reconnaissance team."

Faust: "Are you insulting me? Because if you are, I swear, by my right as a Wingly, you will pay for it."

Rose: "I will pay? Will it be similar to what you pulled on Anchorhead six years ago?"

Faust: "How... How do you know about that?!"

Rose: "And your shoulder... it seems to hurt... doesn't it?"

Faust: "Who...?"

Kanzas: "I wouldn't push him if I were you..."

Faust: "Who are you?! Tell me!"

Faust grabbed Rose under her arms and held her up high, above the ground. He shook her, as if hoping the answer would drop to the ground. She stayed silent, taunting him into further anger and anxiety. Kanzas saw this and knew how Rose got.

Kanzas: "Er... I wouldn't push her if I were you..."

Again, Rose stayed silent. Faust shook harder, desperately trying to get an answer out of her. He finally gave up and dropped her with a loud, armored thump. He was breathing heavily with frustration. He quickly turned and ran back to the green circle. In a flash of light, he disappeared from the cell. Rose readjusted herself into a more comfortable position on the floor.

Kanzas: "You did well, kid. But you have to learn when enough is enough."

Rose: "We're not done with our discussion."

Kanzas: "Actually... we are."

Belzac stirred in the cell adjacent to Kanzas'. He sat up holding his head and groaning with pain. He looked over to see them looking at him and shrugged.

Belzac: "I'm guessing we don't know where we are."

Kanzas: "We're in the Tower."

Belzac: "How do you know?"

Kanzas: "I managed to stay awake during the ambush."

Belzac: "Care to explain how you did that? Seems a little suspicious..."

Kanzas: "If you are trying to make it look like I had something to do with this, you might as well stop there!"

Belzac: "Fine... don't talk to me, I can't stand you."

Kanzas: "Okay then."

Rose: "He's right, though. We're in the Tower of Flanvel."

Belzac: "How can you be sure?"

Rose: "We had a visit from an old friend."

Belzac: "Oh... You mean..."

Rose: "Yes. Do you see the others?"

Belzac: "I see Damia, but I can't see anyone else."

Rose: "We must be in a circular room... How is Damia?"

Belzac: "She's unconscious, but I can see her breathing."

Rose: "We have to get out of here... but how?"

Kanzas: "Check that thing in the middle. If he came in through there, maybe you can leave."

Rose: "I'm sure it's not that simple."

Rose stood up and went over to the green circle. She stomped down on it and jumped. Nothing happened. She looked around, looking for other means of escape. Nothing seemed to give way. The walls were completely solid and the invisible cell door with the magical bars were impenetrable. She looked into Kanzas' cell and into another room. She saw another green circle closed off from everything else.

Rose: "That must be it... the way out."

She placed her hand on one of the red, glowing bars. They were hard to the touch, as if they were made of metal.

Kanzas: "I already tried them. I can't bend or break them."

Rose: "Did you try magic?"

Kanzas: "... No..."

Rose: "Well?"

Kanzas: "What, you're not gonna do it?"

Rose: "I have to save my energy for Faust. You do it. You have the physical strength."

Belzac: "What about me?"

Rose: "You need to get the others out of here. You're the only one I know who can carry all three of them by yourself."

Belzac: "Ok, you're right."

Kanzas: "So, I'm doing all the work?!"

Rose: "Just do it..."

Kanzas: "Fine, fine..."

Kanzas stood back from the bars and grabbed the orb that he hid in the sleeve of his armor. He squeezed it lightly and Rose watched the orb send a surge of purple electricity up his arm. A bright light filled the room and almost blinded them. As it died down, it revealed Kanzas armored as the Lightning Dragoon. The design was much like Rose's armor, however it was specifically contoured to his way of fighting. Kanzas used his fists in combat which seemed difficult in all this long ranged battle, but with his new abilities and magic, he could now do damage at a great distance, then come in for the kill, the standard strategy for his kind of fighting style. He walked up to the bars, his wings tucked into his back. He grabbed one bar with each hand and began to send bolts of electrical energy into them. They flashed purple and red and began to waver. The bars were flashing brightly and then turned into smoking pillars of light. The bars disappeared and Kanzas' hands were left smoking. Rose took a step forward and safely passed through the seemingly impregnable wall.

Rose: "Now do the others. Do that wall first to let me out of the prison area. When I'm gone, get the others out and leave."

Kanzas: "It's not that easy you know. It's pretty painful."

Rose: "That pain is nothing compared to what you'll feel when you disobey an order."

Kanzas: "You don't give the orders, we are the same rank!"

Rose: "Do it!"

Kanzas looked at Rose angrily, but then shrugged it off. He grabbed the bars leading to the main circle and did the same as before. The flashes were brighter then before, the Winglies seemed to have made this wall stronger than the others. This confirmed her original belief, that this green circle was the main connector. Kanzas yelled as the wall turned into large clouds of smoke and disappeared. His hands smoked again, but now his hands burned, causing him great pain.

Rose: "Good. Take a little rest and get to the others. You need to get out as quickly as possible."

Rose went through the second wall and stood on the green circle. Kanzas shook his hands, trying to cool them off and moved on to Belzac's bars. Rose stomped down on the green circle, but nothing happened. She felt around with her foot until she felt a small depression. She pressed down on it and she was enveloped in a green light. When it subsided, she was in another room. She was amazed by the technology the Winglies had, and wondered how they could have gotten this far in such a short time. The walls here looked much like the cell walls. A long hallway lay in front of her. She slowly walked through it, making sure that each corner was safe to pass. Shockingly, this place wasn't swarming with soldiers as she thought it would be. The hallway ended opening up into a huge room, as if the whole tower was completely empty except for the cells. There were holes in the walls, which looked all too familiar to her. She was mesmerized at the greatness of the structure. She looked at the holes and saw something staring back at her. She broke into a sprint down another long hallway as she heard a whistle echo throughout the large tower of holes. Winglies poured out from them and chased her down into the thin corridor. Magic was fired behind her which was grazing her armor and missing entirely. She reached the end of the hall with another green circle. She fumbled with her feet to find the depression and pressed down. She was instantly transported to another room. She stood back from the circle, waiting for Winglies to come through, but none came. She surveyed the room and saw a weapons rack, with her sword hanging from one of the slots. She ran over and grabbed it, buckling it to her waist.

Faust: "Impressive... you escaped..."

Rose turned to see the man she came to face. Faust sat on his throne next to a green panel that had Wingly characters on it. He stood up and walked over to her, using his staff to walk. He still could not see her face, due to her helm.

Faust: "Take that off. Let me see your face."

Rose was reluctant to take it off, but she did as he said. She slid the helm off her head and threw it to the side. As Faust gazed upon her features, his face contorted into a grimace.

Faust: "I knew it! At long last, I will finally get my revenge!"

Rose: "Well? I'm right here."

Faust: "You are too rebellious for your own good. You need to listen to your elders."

Rose: "You're not an elder. You're just old."

Faust: "Why you..."

Faust cast a spell quickly and blew a fireball toward her. It hit her in the chest and pushed her back a few feet. She remained on her feet and stood up straight after the blow. Faust looked angry.

Rose: "It seems you've decayed, old man..."

Faust: "I WILL win!"

Rose unsheathed her sword while Faust changed his staff into a Claymore using magic. He struggled to swing its heavy weight, but managed to lighten it with more magic. Rose wanted to play with him, for she had been waiting for this for a very long time. She darted forward and jabbed with her sword. He quickly forced it out of the way and swung down. Rose sidestepped and jabbed again, and again, and again. Faust managed to block each and every one of the attacks and swung his sword down as hard as he could. His attacks were so slow, Rose was easily dodging all of them.

Rose: "You'll have to do better than that, old man!"

Faust's movements became faster and more accurate. Rose ducked under a horizontal blow and jabbed again. Her sword was deflected by some invisible shield that surrounded Faust's body. Faust laughed as he swung again. Rose jumped over the strike and slashed with her sword. Her sword came to rest on the invisible shield. Faust laughed again and pushed her away with magic, causing her to fall on her back.

Faust: "I've been toying with you, Child! You can't win, for I am second in command of the greatest army in all of Endiness!"

Faust threw his sword into the air and it shattered into several thousand glass shards. The shards rained down upon the whole room, dissolving before hitting Faust. The shards glanced off Rose's armor, she protected her face with her hands. Faust laughed haughtily again, as if he had won. Rose stood up and picked up her sword from the broken glass. Faust continued to laugh and speak in a singsong voice.

Faust: "That's what you get when you cross a Wingly, especially the second most powerful in all the world!"

Rose: "Only second most powerful... that means if you're defeated, your race might rethink their place in power."

Faust: "You really are a stupid child... I am the most powerful of them all! My commander is not worthy! I SHALL RULE!!"

Rose grabbed the orb and squeezed down. Faust formed a new sword and charged her. He watched her get engulfed in a dark sphere. He slowed down and dropped the sword. As Rose emerged, he ran with fear toward his throne. He sat down and fumbled with the panel. He pushed random areas until one sounded a loud boom throughout the entire Tower. Fire came out of the nearby hallways, filling the whole room.

Faust: "If I can't win, I'll take you down with me!"

Rose felt the Tower dip to the right. All the things that were not nailed down started to roll across the floor to the other side.

Rose: "What did you do?!"

Faust: "The Tower of Flanvel is falling! The ultimate annihilation!"

Rose flew into the air and struck at Faust. He attempted to push her again with his magic but his was too weak compared to hers. He was thrown into a hallway where another burst of flames enveloped him and he disappeared from sight. Rose looked for him, unsatisfied with her thirst for his blood. She could not find. Him. The floor was now almost parallel to her and she needed to escape. The corridors still blasted flames into the large room. She flew to one of the walls and placed her hand on it. A dark ball of emptiness formed on the wall. The each molecule of wall was being sucked in by this ball of darkness until it formed a hole, revealing the morning light. She blocked her eyes from the sun and flew out through the hole she created. She flew to what she thought was a safe distance away and hovered above the falling Tower. The Tower had straightened itself out and now was falling bottom first into the glacier down below. The glacier broke apart and the Tower sank lower and lower until it was out of sight, completely engulfed in ice and snow. Water vapor rose above the tower, the fires were melting parts of the glacier. The steam eventually stopped as the fires were snuffed out of existence. She looked around for signs of her friends. Had they escaped the Tower in time? She flew down to the snowy ground where they took a rest earlier in the night. There, she saw everyone waiting for any signs of her presence. She landed and they sighed with relief as she reverted back to her normal form. They all stared at the rising steam where the Tower fell, both shocked and happy.

Zieg: "A little overdone, don't you think so?"

Rose: "Faust did it. He was afraid..."

Belzac: "So, he's dead?"

Rose: "I hope so... the flames took him. But I didn't see a body."

Belzac: "I'm sure he won't rear his ugly head. I'm sure if they knew he had failed, they would kill him."

Rose: "I hope you're right..."

They walked to Vellweb, their original destination. The snow was gone and the dirt was dry and fine grained. The cliff they came to overlooked the entire city. They were horrified when they saw what had taken place. The soldiers that had been sucked into the sand had decayed, releasing their bodily fluids into the surrounding dirt. They saw a field a Devil's Kisses, the repulsive flower that feeds on human blood. Beyond that, the Winglies had abandoned a large structure, a seven-pronged tower that was still under construction, but in good shape.

Zieg: "I wonder what Diaz will say after we tell him we succeeded..."

Rose: "I know exactly what he'll say."

Everyone looked at Rose and she looked back at them with a smile on her face.

Rose: "He would say... 'You can have the tower.'"

The sun rose higher as the day went on, the Moon That Never Sets still king of the sky.


	12. Chapter 12

_I was planning on revamping the whole thing because I got a few complaints about the way it's written, so I will take the time to do that. So stop sending me stuff! I don't own LoD and this chapter took me quite some time. Thanks for reading... if you do that is..._

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**Chapter 12: Danger in the Depths, The Battle of Aglis**

The room was completely dark. The slightest noise echoed and a decrescendo was heard as the sound wore itself out. A small crack of light came forth from the door as it was opened, letting in a woman in a black cloak.

Woman: "I have bad news, my Liege."

A fire was lit at the other end of the room. The fire followed a path of flammable liquid until it completely circled the room. The fire then went toward the middle, still following its designated trail. It entered a large chandelier where large pits of oil were set ablaze with the hungry flame. The now well lit room had marble flooring and columns. The flattened and distorted tree root lay near the middle. A green figure stood on its surface, then disappeared. The man behind the tree root stared at the woman as she approached. He seemed angry and frustrated with her visit. Beads of sweat dripped from his brow. His muscles atrophied from little use and magic as it took its toll on the body.

Charle: "It's about Faust, brother."

Melbu: "Is he dead?"

Charle: "I believe he is... I'm sorry..."

Melbu: "Don't be... I'm glad he's dead."

Charle: "But... but Melbu, he was one of our strongest magicians! He's second in command, and the humans killed him!"

Melbu: "Did they? I'm sure it was Faust who destroyed himself. Did you know he was conspiring against me?"

Charle: "What? But... it can't be true!"

Melbu: "Oh, it was true. He thought he was stronger than I. He is lucky though..."

Charle: "Why is that?"

Melbu: "He didn't have to deal with me. He got off easy."

Charle: "But, what is worse than death?"

Melbu: "There is only one thing that is worse than death, and that is not being allowed to die. I would have made sure that Faust's life was a living hell. I wouldn't kill him, just make him want to die."

Charle: "I don't understand your logic... No Winglies can die from age-"

Melbu: "Exactly. It's the perfect torture. He would want to die, but he would be kept alive, thus losing all hope."

Charle: "How can you be so cruel?"

Melbu stood up. Although his muscles had grown weak, he stood tall and cast an ominous shadow on Charle. She recoiled and knelt down before him, begging his forgiveness. He knelt in front of her and put his long, bony fingers on her shoulders. She looked into his eyes, his gray and lifeless eyes, and could not see what was behind them. For the first time, she could no longer see her brother. The emptiness that filled him spread to every inch of her. She turned away from his face, for it hurt too much to see him as he is now.

Charle: "What has happened to you, brother?"

Melbu: "I have changed, Charle. My mind has been opened to everything in the world. I now see the very outline of life itself! I now understand the magic forward and back!"

Charle: "And what was the price, Melbu?"

Melbu: "Price?"

He stood up and walked back to his seat, surveying the craftsmanship of each detail and carving in the wooden frame. He put his hands up to the ceiling.

Melbu: "I am the most powerful being in all of Endiness! My muscles seem to have weakened, but I am much more powerful than any man and Giganto. My magic is greater than anything on this planet! Including Dragons..."

Charle: "It's as if I don't know who you are anymore… This campaign, this hunger for power… What have you done? What are you trying to do?!"

Melbu: "Have I lost you as well, my dear sister? All I have ever asked of you was your trust and support. I gave you everything, food, water, a high and mighty life, and what I get in return is doubt and betrayal… You have wronged me…"

Charle: "You're wrong… It is you who have wronged me. I gave you years upon years of trust, yet you betray it after all this time. It's as if… you planned it…"

Melbu: "You speak nonsense."

He turned his back to her and admired his throne again. It struck her that she had strummed a nerve that revealed the secret to which it was attached. She lowered her head, turned and walked out of the room, slamming the door shut behind her. Melbu snapped his fingers. A soldier appeared and bowed.

Melbu: "My sister knows too much."

The soldier looked up, questioningly.

Melbu: "See to it that she will never speak again."

The soldier nodded and vanished. Melbu cracked a smile as he thought of the good times he and his sister had, and what he now must do.

Melbu: "So be it…"

Charle walked briskly through the long corridor, passing several guards along the way. None of them budged until she passed. They followed behind her, marching with weapons in hand, just as they were instructed to do. She turned to them and asked them to halt. They followed her order and stopped where they stood. Charle smiled. She had become even more jumpy ever since her brother became this way. She heard clanking armor behind her. She spun around, expecting the worst, but to her surprise, she saw a close friend. He knelt before her and explained the situation through a whisper only she could hear. She nodded and reluctantly and signaled to the other soldiers. They dropped their weapons and summoned a circle of magic underneath her. A man shouted from the other side of the corridor and came running with his sword. As Charle disappeared, the last thing she saw was her dear friend being stabbed through the chest. As he fell, she appeared in a new destination. Another female Wingly stood in front of her as she appeared in the city where Charle and her brother grew up.

Female Wingly: "Are you alright, Ma'am?"

Charle: "Yes, I am fine."

Female Wingly: "So… the plan is underway, then?"

Charle: "It has been underway for six years…"

She walked past the Wingly as she nodded with content. Charle entered her old house, from which she began her planning.

Rose stretched out on her new cot. Her suit of armor lay in pieces on her table next to a leather bag filled with the last of her things. Her new room was spacious, walls covered in dark cloth, making the room darker than it really was. A fancy carpet with delicate patterns of golden thread added a small amount of color to the room, which was greatly needed. She wore her tunic, which was light and more comfortable than her armor, which she wore most of the time. She swung her feet over the side of the bed and stood up. The extra weight that the armor supplied left her light and made it easy to move. She jumped up a few times, the strength of her legs sending her at least a foot in the air. She felt as though nothing was holding her down, as though she had no worries. A knock on her door sent a sudden shiver down her spine. A guard screamed at a friend of his who had apparently pushed him into the door. Realizing whose door it was, they quickly ran, leaving only tracks behind. Rose shook her head in annoyance. She turned toward her pack only to be interrupted again by another knock on the door. She rushed over and opened it swiftly and angrily.

Rose: "What?!"

Damia stood there, taken aback by her sudden outburst. Rose sighed. She apologized to Damia and welcomed her into her room. Damia sat down on her bed, obviously upset. Her normal glow and giddiness had been fading slowly over time, which worried Rose about her wellbeing. This change was now noticeable even to the untrained eye. Her head was drooped. She was pale and she seemed completely out of routine. Rose couldn't take this anymore. She loved Damia like a little sister and the last thing she ever wanted was her to feel this way.

Rose: "Is something wrong?"

Damia said nothing. Her head remained lowered. Rose sat next to her, hoping that she can bring her out of this slump.

Rose: "So… how do you like your new room? Isn't it fantastic?"

Damia: "It's a great room…"

Rose: "And the location! This tower is incredible! Leave it to the Winglies to construct something of this magnitude."

Damia: "Yeah… amazing…"

Rose: "But nothing matches the human ingenuity. We can do all of this without magic at all!"

Damia: "What are you doing?"

Rose had made the attempt of cheering her up, but Damia saw right through it.

Rose: "If there is something bothering you, you can talk to me about it."

Damia: "I don't want to talk about it."

Rose: "You might feel better if you do."

Damia: "I don't feel like it."

Rose: "But if you don't-"

Damia: "What does it matter?!"

Damia's eyes met Rose's. Her eyes were filled with tears. Rose's gaze hardened as she surveyed Damia's evident despair. Damia regretted the words as she said them. She thrust her head onto Rose's shoulder and let the tears flow. Years of pent up frustration and sadness were let out as Rose patted her on the back. Several minutes passed as Damia finished her release of emotion. Her sentences were broken with sobs as she tried to explain why she felt this way, but words would not come. After several more moments, Damia became coherent enough to speak.

Damia: "It's hard to say, really. I'm not really sure what this is…"

Rose: "Just try to explain it."

Damia: "It's… the Call of the Ocean…"

Rose was puzzled by this. She had never heard of such a thing. Maybe there were things that Damia had known all along. She thought that because of Damia's lineage, she may feel things that full bred humans could not feel. The Mer-people were an interesting race, in which they could sense and feel the waves and water. They could predict the actions of water as well as the ability to breathe in it. Water is the central point of a Mer-person's life.

Rose: "What do you mean?"

Damia: "I have this feeling… that I may have to go back…"

Rose: "Back? To what? Where?"

Damia: "Home… I need to go back home."

Rose: "But… isn't that-?"

Damia: "It is… I have to find my mother. I think she wants me to come back… but…"

Rose: "But you don't know where she is…"

Damia: "Yeah…"

Rose: "Well, I'm sure you can figure it out."

Damia looked up at her questioningly. Rose walked over to the door and opened it for her. She knew that Damia had to figure this out for herself. She was fifteen now and she was old enough to make her own decisions. Damia stood up and walked to the door.

Damia: "I need help… I don't even know where to start."

Rose: "You don't need any help. You're an amazing individual and I'm sure that you can find any answer you want. Just try. I remember you telling me she lived in the Lake at Jokuhl. Isn't that where she is?"

Damia: "I don't think so… that lake could lead anywhere, even into the ocean."

Rose: "Well, ask Syuveil, I' sure he'll have some books on this sort of thing."

Damia smiled and left the room. Rose closed the door with a sigh and went to her bed to stretch out again. Damia was lucky. She actually has a place to go back to. Rose has a pile of ashes that have surely been looted and built upon by traveling vagabonds. She has a small cabin in which several children lived, which is also probably completely destroyed by Winglies. She had a carriage pulled by horses that had been burned for wood in Fort Magrad, in which she lived for quite some time in a stone, dank room. Her home was never definite. But she wanted this tower, this very room to be her new, permanent home. She closed her eyes, thinking about the strange weather that had spread to Vellweb. The normally arid land had received cold weather accompanied with two inches of snow. Perhaps this was due to the sudden shift of glacial ice from the destruction of Flanvel. She did not know for sure, however, for she neither wanted nor cared for news on the fate of Faust. His destruction led to an extreme movement from Fort Magrad. Seventy thousand human troops moved from Magrad and Bale to Vellweb to prevent another loss of the city. This however, had spread the troops too thin, but there is so little land left, they no longer worried about it. Diaz's job was becoming increasingly hard, since he now tried to incorporate her power into the plans of attack. There was a vast difference in power between their strongest soldier and the power of the Dragon, which caused problems in balance. She fell into a light sleep until she was awoken by another knock. It was heavy, a very familiar knock. She opened the door to see Belzac with his travel pack.

Rose: "You just get back?"

Belzac: "Yeah, sorry, did I wake you?"

Rose: "Not really, I wasn't asleep yet. How is he?"

Belzac: "He's great! He made a whole bunch of new friends and all the other Dragons are so nice to him."

Rose: "So there were other Dragons on the mountain… maybe we can find a few more…"

Belzac: "What?"

Rose: "Nothing. How much did he grow?"

Belzac: "He's as big as I am now! It's incredible how fast they grow!"

Rose: "Good, good. Anything else?"

Belzac: "Yes, actually, there is one thing."

Rose crossed her arms. She let Belzac explain his concern.

Belzac: "When I was on the mountain. I felt a strange presence. The same presence I feel when I'm near one of the Dragons."

Rose: "A presence?"

Belzac: "Yes, but something different from the normal feeling… like… an emptiness and anger."

Rose: "I don't know… I wouldn't let it bother you, though. As long as you and your Dragon are all right, it all should be fine."

Belzac: "Yeah, I guess. Have a good rest!"

Belzac closed the door behind him with a thud. Rose knew Belzac would worry if she told him that his feeling was well founded. She thought it was better to keep him in the dark about such matters. She lay down on her bed again, closing her eyes again. The sleep finally came to her, after a long wait.

Damia entered Syuveil's room, in which several hundred books were present. Syuveil lifted his head at the interruption, annoyed and surprised by the visit.

Syuveil: "May I help you with something, Damia?"

Damia: "Um… Do you have any books on Legends and Folktales?"

Syuveil: "Of course! Are you interested in such things?"

Damia: "Only one aspect."

Syuveil: "And that is?"

Damia: "Um… Mermaids…"

Syuveil: "Hm… I may have something on them. Why so sudden?"

Damia: "Well, I don't know, I have always been fascinated with such things."

Syuveil walked over to a tall pile of books stacked vertically all the way to the ceiling. He surveyed the spine of each and every book in the pile.

Syuveil: "It's very good that a girl so young is interested in reading, regardless of what genre it is. Whether it be mystery, folklore, history, a good book will feed the mind for years and years without end."

He plucked a book from the pile, each book above it falling one space lower. He smiled with glee.

Syuveil: "I'm getting better at that. The last time I tried it, it all fell on top of me."

He handed her the book and went back to his desk. He buried his face into the book he had been reading and continued talking.

Syuveil: "I have always loved reading. How about you, Damia, do you like reading?"

When he looked up, she has vanished with his book, door wide open and flapping in the cold breeze.

Syuveil: "I hope she brings that back, it's one of my favorites."

Damia ran to the new Mess Hall and slammed the book down on the nearby table. As usual, many of the soldiers made way for her. They feared her as much as they did the others, even though she was younger than they. She leafed through the book quickly, skimming all of the information for any sign of Mermaids and their potential places of origin. She spent several minutes searching through it, getting more and more impatient as she went on.

Zieg: "You alright, Damia?"

Zieg stood over her, wondering what she was doing. She glanced at him and looked back at her book.

Damia: "I'm fine. I'm just doing a little reading."

Zieg: "You must really read fast, because you just blew by ten pages."

Damia: "I'm looking for something specific."

Zieg: "Hm, need any help?"

Damia: "No, I'm fine, thanks anyway."

Zieg: "I see. Don't stress yourself out."

He left the Mess Hall, leaving Damia to her reading. Page after page went by and nothing looked remotely helpful. She finally reached the last few pages containing only one paragraph about Mer-people. It stated only that they were aquatic humanoids that have rarely been seen, but they are known to exist. The book spoke of nothing more. She shut it loudly, frustrated with an unsuccessful search. She threw it on the floor, making a loud echoing noise. She put her head into her hands, close to sobbing. She felt a small glimmer of hope and picked up the book, hoping that in her rushed search she had missed something. She placed it on the table and opened it. The book opened to a page with a folded up piece of paper. She unfolded it revealing a map of the area between the Lake of Jokuhl and the ocean to the north. On the map were several drawings of arrows and a small dot where it was clearly marked. She folded the map again and placed it in her pocket. She took the book and dropped it off at Syuveil's room. The sky became dark quickly. The moon was as still as it was six years ago. The blue veins shined brighter than the stars. She traveled back to her room. It was bright and filled with amazing tapestries. A fountain lay in the middle, filling the room with the calming sound of running water. She lay herself down on her cot and fell asleep with a smile on her face.

Rose arrived at the stone bridge in the middle of the night. She looked up at the sky, wondering how such a thing could exist. A sheet of darkness spread across the entire horizon with sparkles of light dotting it in random, yet precise ways, as if to make each one important. As she stared, a star shot across the sky. She was awed and looked for more like it, but none came.

Zieg: "You don't see very many of those. You were lucky to even see that one."

Rose: "What took you so long?"

Zieg: "You're early, as usual."

He stood next to her and looked up at the sky.

Zieg: "Why do you look at it so much?"

Rose: "It's mysterious. The stars, the moon, they all have a purpose, regardless of placement. They form patterns, shapes, pictures. It amazes me."

Zieg: "I guess I never really noticed before… show me some of these pictures."

Rose pointed to a star directly in front of them.

Rose: "Follow that one up and around to the right. You notice the pattern? It looks somewhat like a fish."

Zieg looked carefully, trying to follow her instructions. His eyes widened as he finally noticed the shape.

Zieg: "Wow! I really see them. Are there anymore?"

Rose: "There are hundreds!"

Zieg: "Hundreds…?!"

Rose chuckled at his enthusiasm. She showed him a few more patterns, each one met with his amazement. She had never really had a chance to talk with him like this. There was always an interruption such as training or other soldiers. Tonight seemed different. Patrolling soldiers had gone, leaving only them together. For once in a very long time, Rose could say that she enjoyed herself with him, as if it was what should have been happening since the day they met. She felt a new swell of feelings in her, things she had never felt before. She tried to suppress them, avoiding making them evident. She had no idea what to do with such feelings. They frightened her and were beyond her knowledge of her own emotions. She could do only one thing.

Rose: "Er… I have to go. I'm a little tired."

Zieg: "What?"

Rose: "I'm sorry, I really have to go. I need some rest."

Zieg: "Need me to walk you back to your tower?"

Rose: "No!"

Zieg was shocked by her explosive reaction. He knew this was unlike her and was apparently worried.

Rose: "Um… Bye."

She turned tail and fled. She walked briskly back to the room in her tower. The sky was reaching its pinnacle of darkness before the sun was to rise. She slammed her door shut with a loud plunk. She heaved breaths and leaned on her shut door. Her cheeks were red and hot. She could not understand her state of mind, which frightened her even further. She took several minutes to calm down and to control her feelings. She lay on her cot, nervous and disheveled. She stared at the dark, stone ceiling, still confused and slightly angered. She was disgusted with herself that she didn't even know her own emotions. Nothing infuriated her more than things she didn't know, especially if it was happening within her very mind. Over time spent lying down, her eyes felt heavy. The light in the room was beginning to increase as the sun was rising.

Rose: "Damn… through the whole night…"

She made it a goal to sleep, for she had no planned itinerary for that day. She would only worry about the very same thing again later.

Damia sat up on her bed early in the morning. The water still trickled in the fountain. She packed a bag with essentials and her plated armor. She shut her door softly, avoiding waking the others. She made her way down the stairs and out of her tower. She hurried toward the temporary southern gate trying to keep as low a profile as possible. She reached the stone bridge where she found Rose watching the horizon change colors. Damia ducked out of her sight, making sure Rose didn't see her. She passed seemingly unnoticed and continued to the gate. As she began to exit, she heard footsteps behind her.

?: "Where do you think you're going?"

She turned slowly, ready for a scolding only to find Diaz standing there.

Damia: "Why are you here?"

Diaz: "I should ask you the same question."

Damia: "I have something to take care of."

Diaz: "So do I, but are yours to be taken care of outside of Vellweb?"

Damia looked at the dirt, thinking of something to say. She then thought it wasn't the best act to lie to her Commander and old time friend.

Damia: "I'm going to help my family."

Diaz looked concerned, for he knew more about her history than she could possibly think. He thought on her ability and incredible skills.

Diaz: "You are aware of the risks?"

Damia: "Yes…"

Diaz: "Hm…"

They both stared at the dirt, contemplating what may happen in the days to come. A life is at stake and they both know it. When a life is taken into account, choices become harder and harder to make, though once the choice is made, there is always a hint of regret. This was a unique incident. Either one life or many will fall victim to the choice. Diaz looked up at her just as she looked at him.

Diaz: "Be careful…"

Damia: "I will."

Diaz: "Don't do anything reckless. The last thing we want is for you to…"

Damia: "I know, I won't be rash, I promise."

Damia adjusted the bags on her shoulder and turned away. She walked through the gate looking back as she passed the turn into the glacier. Diaz had gone, leaving her a view of the towers in the distance. She trudged through the light blanket of snow, her feet becoming dampened by the melting water crystals. She stopped in front of what seemed to be a wall of snow, which was in fact a terrible blizzard. She looked back, wondering if she had made a mistake and even leaned toward the open trail. Her hair blew in her face as she looked at the snow and made her resolve. She turned toward the blizzard and stepped into the blistering winds that were like daggers cutting to the bone.

Rose saw Diaz approaching the bridge. She remained where she was, for Diaz seemed to be headed straight for her. He stood next to her without a word and stared into the sky. The stars were almost gone and the moon grew ever brighter. Rose felt awkward to be with him. They had grown apart over these few years and what once was a great friendship was now a passing glance. Rose knew only one way to break the tension.

Rose: "I never see you out here. You rarely leave headquarters."

Diaz: "I had some business to take care of, if you don't mind."

Rose: "Of course I don't mind. Would it matter if I did?"

Diaz: "Actually…"

Rose: "Huh?"

Diaz: "It would mean the world…"

Rose looked puzzled and didn't hide it. Diaz saw her expression and chuckled.

Diaz: "It's important that everyone agrees with everyone else. If they didn't, nothing would get done. There would be too many factions vying for supremacy that the main cause is lost in political strife. There is always one person who everyone will agree with because that person shall bring the truth to light. People love the truth, but sometimes the truth is too much for them to bear. Very much like this truth, which I will tell you now…"

Rose: "What truth? What more could there be?"

Diaz: "The truth about the Wingly ambition."

Rose: "Their ambition? Isn't it just to rule other species?"

Diaz: "Exactly, a single faction vying for ultimate supremacy keeping alive an ulterior motive."

Rose: "What is this motive?"

Diaz: "The Winglies want supremacy… but the leader of the Winglies wants only one thing… the destruction of the world."

Rose couldn't help but laugh. How could a single person destroy the entire world? It's impossible, even for the Winglies.

Diaz: "You laugh, but you have done just as I have said. The truth was too much for you to handle, so you choose not to believe it."

Rose: "And how does this supposed Wingly leader plan to attempt this obliteration of the world?"

Diaz: "Simply put…"

Diaz points up. Rose followed his finger as it rested at the moon. She looked at him is astonishment, but she still shook her head in disbelief.

Diaz: "If he has the power to stop it, he has the power to wield it. Whether you like the idea or not, this is how it will happen and it will be up to you to stop it."

Rose was dumbfounded but still against such a ludicrous claim. Diaz turned toward the headquarters and began to walk away. He waved behind himself.

Diaz: "That's enough truth for today. Have a nice day off."

Rose stared up at the motionless moon where it had remained for six years. She felt something tugging at her stomach and became anxious.

Rose: "How can it be real? Why did he tell me that anyway?"

Rose sighed and disregarded the conversation, hoping that it wouldn't be important in the future. She headed toward the mess hall where she sat and put her head in her hands and began to drowse. The kitchen was empty and none of the soldiers were up. Only a few people are usually up at this hour. She, Diaz and the night guards use this time for catching up of leftover work and or preparations for any military activities. She jumped out of a daze as the sound of a pot being dropped echoed throughout the hall. Her heart raced slightly but quickly calmed as Belzac walked into the mess hall. He sat across from her, his head several feet above her own. She couldn't keep her eyes on his face for too long, for doing so would strain her neck to the point of snapping in two. They waited together, speaking about any news they had heard. Rose left the contents of her conversation with Diaz a secret because there is no point in spreading any false truths. Belzac told her of his Dragon pet and how large he had gotten.

Belzac: "Several times the size of me, I tell ya! He's really growing nicely!"

Rose: "It seems he won't turn out like the one we met on the plains all those years ago. Same color, but different parents, no doubt."

Belzac: "Well, I don't know. He could have the same parents, just possibly a different mother. The golden scales are definitely the Plains Dragon's, I would assume the size is from another."

Rose: "Is there any chance of riding?"

Belzac: "Oh boy, I highly doubt it. I think he has reached his peak in size, and even if he kept growing, I wouldn't step foot on him. I'll stay as close to the hard and solid earth as possible. It has served me well all these years and I don't plan on changing that, ha ha!"

Rose: "But, you can fly, remember?"

Belzac: "Oh… Yeah… You know I'm not a good flier."

They continued on with their conversation, Rose becoming more and more vocal. She saw Syuveil approach and she waved him over to their table.

Rose: "So how goes the library development?"

Syuveil: "It goes swimmingly. It has an excellent collection of works from many places."

Rose: "Even the ones you stole?"

Syuveil: "Yes… What's that now?"

They laughed together, enjoying each other's company. Zieg and Shirley came with the surge of soldiers that were finally waking up from their well-earned sleep. The kitchens were fired up and food was beginning to fill their stomachs. The conversations continued.

Zieg: "I was thinking that maybe we should take a trip to this mountain Belzac keeps blabbing about."

Belzac: "What?"

Shirley: "Yeah, that sounds like fun!"

Rose: "We could fly around with the Dragons, if they don't attack us for being there in the first place."

Syuveil: "Who knows until we try, right? My books say-"

Kanzas: "Your books can't predict the future."

Kanzas found his way over and sat down at the end of the table, looking at Syuveil with a smirk on his face.

Syuveil: "Ah, Kanzas, on the contrary, many of my books are of constellation records. The movement of stars in the sky written down over several years of research which can later be used to… Kanzas?"

Kanzas: "You're still talking?"

Syuveil: "Gr…"

They ate to their fill and continued talking amongst themselves. The conversations began to lose their flare as the table became more silent. Not until it quieted down did everyone really survey who was at the table. They all came to the same conclusion.

Shirley: "Did anyone see Damia today?"

Rose: "I saw her last night."

Syuveil: "As did I."

Belzac: "Anyone see her this morning?"

They looked at each other as they all shook their heads. They immediately stood up and left the mess hall. They split up in search of Damia's whereabouts. The first place they checked was her room. The bed was made and her packs and armor were gone. When no news came of her, they assembled again in the mess hall and sat down to think.

Rose: "When you saw Damia, did she say anything out of the ordinary?"

Syuveil: "She asked for a book, nothing more."

Zieg: "Yeah, I saw her reading that book!"

Rose: "Anything else?"

Everyone shook their heads.

Rose: "What was the book about, Syuveil?"

Syuveil: "Er, it was about folklore and myths."

Rose: "Anything in specific?"

Syuveil: "Well, she did ask for a book specifically on Mermaids."

Rose thought for a second and remembered the conversation she and Damia had in her room about the Call of the Ocean. She felt a deep sinking feeling in her gut, making her extremely uncomfortable. All of the others picked up on her discomfort. She looked up at them.

Rose: "We may have a problem…"

Rose wrenched open the door to the headquarters interrupting a meeting with a group of Diaz's subordinates screaming at Diaz. Diaz sent them out of the room.

Rose: "We can't find Damia! I think I know where she went so we're going to go get her!"

Diaz: "I'm afraid not…"

Rose: "What?"

Diaz: "You see, I saw Damia this morning. She has something she alone needs to do and we cannot interfere."

Rose: "But… she might die!"

Diaz looked away with sorrow.

Diaz: "She knew that when she left the city. There's nothing we can do for her now but pray for her safe return."

Rose: "How can you just sit there and say that young girl has to die?! She's like a sister to you!"

Diaz: "People make choices. I am not her brother, so I could not understand what was going through her mind about this dilemma, but she knows what she must do and I as well as you must respect her wishes. She doesn't want harm to befall her friends… her family, so she left early this morning for the lake to the north of Jokuhl."

Rose: "We must go after her!"

Diaz: "No! She must resolve this on her own!"

Rose: "Gr… How can you say that?"

Diaz: "Because I believe she will not let us down. Besides… even if you did go after her, you couldn't help. You can't take the fight to the bottomless depths of the sea…"

Rose was enraged. She tried to retaliate but she couldn't bring herself to scream anymore. She clenched her fists, lowered her head in defeat and left the room leaving Diaz to his lonesome. Her friends stood at the gate, packed and ready, waiting for the order to head out.

Zieg: "I packed your things so we could leave quickly."

Rose: "We're not going anywhere."

They looked at her, puzzled. She kept her gaze down at the dirt, the others staring at her with confusion and helplessness.

Shirley: "What do you…?"

Rose: "This is something she must do on her own… we can't help her."

Belzac: "But she could-"

Rose: "Yes… she could. But… we can't help."

They stood there with their packs on their shoulders. Rose finally looked up toward the gate and through to the beginning of the glacier where Damia definitely passed through.

Kanzas tore away from the group and glumly walked back to his tower. One by one, Syuveil, Shirley, Belzac and finally Zieg left the gate and headed back to their own rooms. Rose continued to stare out through the gate, contemplating what would happen to her sister.

The land rushed by below her as Damia flew through the midday sky. The sun warmed her body after the trip through the relentless snow storms of the glacier. The light was refreshing like cool, crisp water on a parched throat. She surveyed the lands that she had once traveled and was surprised by the little change. The earth kicked up by the Gold Dragon was still jagged and had become barren of life. The stormy mountains were now bathed with light, something that the creatures of that range were awaiting for years. She flew with great haste, trying to waste as little time as possible. She knew there wasn't much time left and it could all be over if she didn't arrive at all. The city that is the supposed home of her family had been there for many years, before the land crept up around them, trapping them in the lake, separate from the ocean save for a small river tributary that leads to the main exit of the lake. This was considered prime location, for the enemies of the Mer-people could neither ambush them nor flank them, for there was only one mean of escape.

The sun was setting and the moon became the only source of light in the skies. The stars seemed blackened by some ominous clouds, foreboding the future to come. Damia landed with her pack safely on a patch of grass. A slight dew had formed on the blades, sparkling in the constant moonlight. She tossed herself onto the ground and used her pack as a pillow. She looked up at the sky, wondering if she would make it in time. She understood the severity of the situation, but nothing can be done if she didn't have the strength to do anything. A little rest wouldn't hurt, or would it? She saw a bright flash in the clouds and then a loud rumble.

Damia: "A storm?"

She stood up carrying her pack and hurried along to her destination. She had come far but was it even worth it? Her mother abandoned her when she was a baby, could she possibly help a person who didn't care enough to even keep her? Even Rose, who wasn't even blood related to her, cared more deeply than her mother. But it seems that that is the major reason why Damia was going in the first place, blood relation. She couldn't let down her family, her race, or herself. She holds power that no other could possibly have and she will use it to the best of her abilities to hold back the Wingly onslaught.

She came to the top of a hill that overlooked the ruined town of Jokuhl. Nothing but rotten wooden frames of buildings that were burned years ago remained standing; however, the town had guests. Damia crouched low to the ground and approached the Wingly encampment. They had made use of the debris for fires and a guard tower. She pinned herself against the tower leg, avoiding detection. She froze the leg with her magic until it was cold enough to burn flesh. She then froze the adjacent leg. She lined herself up between them and, with swift kicks, shattering the frozen wood. The tower began to lean toward the encampment, the Wingly atop the tower screaming, alerting his comrades.

Damia: "Right on top of them…"

The other tower legs snapped, allowing the tower to fall directly onto the tents of the encampment. Damia quickly dispatched the remaining hindrances before moving on to the lake shore. She stood before the small waves as they crashed at her feet. This was the point of no return. One step could change her fate. Another choice lay before her, life or death. Her life depended upon the direction of a step. She swallowed as if her own pride tried to make an escape. She dropped her pack and took a step toward the water. It was cold and seemed to repel from her very skin. She grabbed her weapon, the large mace, and entered the lake. As the water crept up her body, ankles, knees, waist, chest, her heart began to pound faster and faster. She dreaded the time when she must lower her head, truly committing her to this endeavor. She prepared herself for the possible devastation she may see, but this is the consequence of war. Nothing could be done for the souls lost, but something must be done for the souls yet to perish. The water reached her nose and she stopped walking. A tear ran down her face as she kicked off the sandy bottom with her legs and began to swim out into the deepest part of the lake. The swimming came naturally. Her speed in the water seemed unmatched, she could outrun anything. Her breathing seemed controlled. She felt as if she was breathing at times in the waters of the lake. The bed of sand suddenly dropped out from under her. A steep cliff dropped what seemed like miles into deep blue. She looked into the black abyss trying to find any sign of life. In the distance, she saw glimmering light. It was small, but any light down in the depths gave her hope. She began to swim toward it not realizing what dangers may lay in deeper waters.

The water was cold and getting colder by the second. The closer she got to the light, the larger it became. Strangely, the water began to become warmer as the light neared. What seemed like minutes turned to hours. The light was now distinguishable as a large underwater palace. Damia felt a sigh of relief when she got closer to her people. She began to swim harder beyond belief. She closed in on the palace as she was now surrounded completely in light. She could make out people as she approached. She saw another light radiate from another source, one not from the palace. She stopped, watching what would unfold. The stray light went through the palace as if it wasn't there. The palace then exploded into a flurry of flames that were quickly snuffed out by the cold, dark water. She stared, wide-eyed, as the last of the light dissipated. Damia was heartbroken as the darkness closed in around her. The light that came from the palace had disappeared and no movement or disturbance in the current could be felt.

Damia: "I… failed…"

Damia bawled into her own hands at this defeat. She had the ability to help, but didn't even get a chance. Her tears seemed pointless, for they instantly mixed with the water and drifted away as if they had never existed. She felt another warmth through the water that hit her like she had been licked by flames from a torch. She peeked through her fingers seeing several lights circled around a single structure. The lights swept through the water in which the palace had been. Damia watched as the lights lit up rubble of a once elegant and sacred structure. It then hit Damia. Something was surveying the destruction. She started to swim toward the foreign structure, trying to see what it was. What lay before her was a large underwater tower surrounded by large groups of Winglies that were using magic to withstand the great pressure of deep water as well as a certain apparatus on their heads to breathe. They swam through the water, searching for anything they could salvage, such as jewels and any sacred artifacts. Damia continued as hard as she could toward them, rage apparent in her eyes and a fire burning in her chest. She saw a large building of definite Wingly design. It seemed as if they did not notice her as she slipped through the slit-like openings in the hull of the building. She came to surface within the structure, sticking her head out of the water to survey her surroundings. She raised herself out of the water and onto the hard artificial ground made of stone… or was it wood? She was curious as to how the Winglies could make something harder than it really was, perhaps magic came into play.

She entered the corridor in front of her and made her way down to the center of the establishment. The place was barren, not a sound was heard but her footsteps echoing throughout the hall as she ran. She reached the end of the hall and came to a drop off. The floor disappeared into a room with several green floor pads and water trickling from every orifice of the ceiling. She had not known about the type of style Winglies had, but she knew that it was something to appreciate, even though the Winglies were ruthless barbarians that needed to be stopped. She peered down into the deep room where she saw bodies of soldiers floating in the water, Wingly and Mermaid alike. She became infuriated again and found herself running back and forth on the platform on which she stood. She saw the green floor pad and stepped onto it. She felt around and felt a small rise in it. Pressing down on it, she was transported to a new platform. She entered the corridor there and found herself in a room with several large tanks filled with water. She was horrified when she discovered what was trapped inside them. Dozens of Mer-people were aware of her presence and slammed their fists on the glass, trying to get her attention. She heard footsteps behind one of the tanks, and saw a Wingly turn the corner.

Wingly: "That's enough! Stop banging on the glass! You can't… Oh, well, it seems we have an intruder."

The Wingly drew his weapon and charged her. She easily sidestepped his blow with a graceful slide and tripped him, knocking him face down on the floor. She knelt on his back gripping the Wingly's head with her hands and pulled upward. Despite his screams of pain, she continued to pull until his neck gave way and snapped. His screams stopped and he went limp within an instant. The Mer-people continued banging the glass, hands beginning to become raw and bleed. She looked at them, wondering what she had to do. She shrugged at them as they motioned for her to go to some strange, blinking panel. She walked over to it and became overwhelmed with the many buttons. The Wingly language confused her and she looked at the Mer-people in a puzzled way. They were getting restless now, beginning to scream in Mermish which sounded like hoarse grunts from out of the water. She couldn't understand anything. Her frustration peaked as another Wingly entered the room, whom she quickly dispatched. With annoyance, she grabbed her mace from her back and smashed the console, destroying the lights and sending glass all over the floor. She smashed it again and again, hoping that her frustration will be put to good use and finally do something right. The terminal sparked amazingly and she heard a draining sound. She looked at the tanks and noticed the water level falling and the Mer-people heading for the large opening in the floor, swimming out through it. She knew this was all she could do and made her way back the way she came. She used the same pad to reach the slit-like openings.

She left the Wingly structure and saw a battle begin before her eyes. The Mer-people she had freed earlier were now engaging the Winglies in battle around the ruins. She swam swiftly to join them, killing all who opposed. As she continued to swim, one Mermaid grabbed her arm, stopping her from going any further. Damia turned to face her. The Mermaid's eyes glimmered in the searchlights of the Wingly structure, a look of complete astonishment upon her face as if she could not believe what she was seeing. Damia, however, knew exactly what she was seeing. Before she could say anything, the Mermaid threw herself around Damia and embraced her in the deep, dark waters. She had finally met her, the person who had given birth to her, given her up, abandoned her on the surface world, but never stopped loving her, her mother. Amidst the battle, they continued to hold each other, neither of them wished to let go. They wished they could stay like this forever. It was something that seemed too good to be true. Damia suddenly felt a sharp pain in her back and stomach. Her mother fell limp in her arms. She grabbed her mother by the shoulders and pushed her back and looked down. A large javelin had pierced right through Damia's stomach from behind and into her mother. The water around her turned red with blood as both leaked the crimson liquid. Damia stared at her mother's face while the atmosphere turned a sanguine color. She had her mother in her arms, finally, and they seemed inseparable, but just as quickly, they were torn apart.

Her grip lightened as her strength began to leak out with the blood from her wounds. Her mother's body floated upward toward the surface and out of sight. Her vision started to fade. She was traveling down a long tunnel with a faint light at the end.

Damia: "Does it really have to end like this…?"

Her life flashed before her eyes. Her childhood, full of grief and solitude, reminded her of how terrible it was in the past. A life without a family and friends, something every child needs, but she was left without. Then she saw when she met the person who changed her life, taught her how to live with a family and live life. She taught her how to make friends, how to fight, how to love. The rest of her life passed as quickly as it was lived, memories of the good and bad times escaped into the water with blood. She then realized, at last, that she had not been searching for a family, but had already found one. A new burst of strength came over her as a bright blue light engulfed her. This power, she knew could not save her, but it would allow her to fight one last time. The Mer-people in the distance saw the light and quickly swam away. The Winglies through their fists in the air with triumph, but turned to notice Damia coming at them, freezing the water in her wake. They cowered before her, their fate sealed. She shut her eyes, overwhelmed her own body with power. A large explosion emitted from her, spreading fire and ice alike. All of the Winglies were engulfed and immediately obliterated from existence. Their bodies broke down, fading away as the base make-up of their skin was completely destroyed. Damia could neither see, hear, or feel and, eventually, had become unaware of her existence. She faded as they did, but with contempt and acceptance. The explosion died away beneath the surface of the water, none survived. The searchlights of the structure shut down and began to move away from the battlefield in utter defeat.

The shockwave traveled throughout the entire lake, the surface bulging like a large creature was awaking from its thousand year slumber and wanted to taste the fresh air. A giant splash erupted from the surface, sending millions of water droplets into the air. The water rose high before it began to splash back down to the water from which it came. The body of Damia's mother floated upon the surface being showered with water, the Moon That Never Sets glimmering in her eyes, an eerie glow that signified a fulfilled life.


	13. Chapter 13

This chapter took me a while. I chopped it up a bit, changed the format and it should be much easier to read now. Enjoy.

Again, I don't own LoD.

**Chapter 13: Law or Anarchy, War in Zenebatos**

Three weeks had passed since Damia left. Rose anxiously awaited her return, but after the first week, she began to believe the worst. She had a feeling in her stomach that something terrible had happened, gut wrenching and hard to ignore. The feeling nagged her for days, the pain radiating from her like heat and infecting her other friends. Every day, she returned to Diaz's meeting chamber and asks him if any word came in about Damia's whereabouts. He gave the same response each time, "I'm afraid not… maybe tomorrow."

Every time she passed the gate, she would glance hopefully into the path beyond expecting to see a familiar silhouette growing closer to her. Each time, there was no silhouette, no friendly face, no sign of life at all. It was extremely lonely. Nothing she did would overcome it. Her thoughts were invaded by Damia, disallowing her to have a train of thought without it derailing. She would wait in her room staring at the ceiling, waiting for the light knock on her door with the laugh that usually accompanied it. She felt empty, angry, and fearful. The mix of emotions confused her even further to the point where she couldn't even trust her own thoughts, which made her uneasy.

A knock came on the door.

"Come in," she said with anticipation.

The door opened and revealed Shirley. Rose let out a sigh. Shirley walked over and sat on the end of the bed, looking at her feet the whole time.

"I know it's tough, but we have to accept it," Shirley quickly said.

"Accept what?" Rose asked with a hint of denial in her voice. "Damia isn't dead."

"It's been three weeks… she went into battle, I'm sure of it. The fact that she didn't return is significant."

"Maybe," she thought, "she rejoined her family and is living with them. I'm sure her mother was very happy to meet her after all this time."

"Come on, Rose!" shouted Shirley. "We don't even know if her mother is alive, especially since we are at war! Also, searching what could be the entire ocean for one specific clan of Mermaids is almost impossible, even with something as luring as the, 'Call of the Ocean.'"

"She IS alive!" she exclaimed, now getting annoyed.

"You want her to be alive, and I do too!" Shirley admitted. "I loved her just as much as you did! She was part of the family! I got even more concerned each day that she remained absent. But you must also realize what I have realized."

Rose looked at her, now distressed that the conversation went this far. As much as she thought about Damia, she did not want to talk about how she felt, mostly because she couldn't explain it.

"Damia was a soldier," said Shirley. "Soldiers are part of the big family. They fight together, live together, eat together… die together. Soldiers fight for what they believe. Damia believed that the world could be better, but, unfortunately, she perished before she could see her belief enacted in the real world. I'm sure she fought, and fought gallantly no less."

Rose lowered her gaze. She didn't want to admit it, but with each of Shirley's words, she started to doubt any evidence that Damia could be alive. Her eyes began to well up with tears but she blinked them back.

"Just follow your instincts," Shirley said. "They are usually right in these kinds of things. I don't like to think she's gone… but that's how it is. I've accepted it. You should do the same."

Shirley stood up and left the room without another word. Rose rolled onto her side, facing the door. Although some hope remained, it was quickly being transformed into certainty. She could think of nothing else but Damia. Her brain rattled inside her own head, distraught and dumbfounded. Never had Rose felt that she wanted to cry, but couldn't bring herself to blink the tears away. She shook her head as if to toss the sadness into the air like little specs of dust. She decided, at long last, to leave her room and go to the mess hall. She had nearly starved herself days ago and did not want to go through it again. She felt sick and drained for hours which felt like years. She walked aimlessly through the corridors and down the tower steps. Young soldiers stayed a large distance away, hoping that she would not lash out unexpectedly in a vengeful rage.

She found herself outside and in front of the mess hall doors with no recollection of even stepping out of the tower. She pressed on and looked around as a few eyes fell upon her. She scanned each row, looking for familiar faces or an empty table. Her gaze dropped onto a large soldier and a man clad in red. She shuffled over and sat down beside them without making a greeting or a sound at all. They looked at her as she stared at the table in front of her, counting the grains threaded through the wood. She felt a hand on her back as Zieg tried to console her.

"I know it's hard. This is war, remember?" he said softly. "I understand that she was a very close friend, but, and I hate to say this, casualties are normal in such instances. She went to an entire Wingly city by herself. How can we be sure that…?"

He stopped there to prevent doing more harm than good. Rose felt anger rise within her, but suppressed it. He was right and she knew it. Nothing she can do will bring Damia back.

"The only thing I'm really upset about," she said in a low voice, "is that you can accept it so readily. It's as if you expected it to happen."

"Trust me, I knew of Damia's skill and I know for a fact that it would take a hell of a lot more than one Wingly to take her down in a fair fight, but no matter how powerful the warrior is, a single distraction and an enemy strike is the death of ANY warrior," he said with a tone of finality.

"Yes, I suppose you're right," she sighed. "I just wish I knew more about her… death."

"I wish that too. I bet she went out valiantly. Damia doesn't know shame," he said, hanging his head.

"She was a great warrior!" said Belzac, chiming in out of nowhere. "She may have been young, but she understood what she was doing."

Rose nodded slightly, finally feeling some pressure lifting from her shoulders.

"I'm just happy I could talk about it…" she confessed.

"Well, don't let me break up this little get-together, but I think," Kanzas interjected from behind them, "we know she succeeded."

"How do… no, how COULD you know that?" Belzac said a little annoyed.

"Because," he replied defiantly, "if she were to fail, she would have returned, face buried in her arms and crying her eyes out about how she 'couldn't do it'."

"You bastard!" Rose exclaimed. "How could you! She was your friend!"

"Friends separate over time. It is inevitable that they will completely disappear from your life, it's just a matter of when…" Kanzas said haughtily.

Rose jumped to her feet and felt her fist fly through the air in a vent of fury. She hoped that she would both hit and miss for this was completely uncalled for, but she just wanted to do it more than anything. Kanzas sidestepped with inhuman speed and caught her fist in his own. She struggled to be released, but his strength was beyond her own. She felt him squeeze harder on her fist, feeling her knuckles crunch together.

"Release me," she commanded.

He didn't budge. His hand closed harder upon her own, the nerves in her hand screaming with pain. He smirked at her.

"Release me!" she exclaimed. "I said, LET GO!"

"LET HER GO!" Belzac and Zieg said together as they stood up hastily.

Kanzas' smirk grew wider and, with a last small crunch of pressure, he released his grip and turned away from them. "You know I'm right…" he said before walking out of the mess hall.

Rose nursed her hand, the knuckles sore and still stinging with pain. She noticed that everyone who was eating was staring at her with shocked expressions. Zieg placed his hands on her shoulders. He caught a glimpse of her hand.

"He bruised it," said Zieg disgusted. "What's gotten into him? He never used to be this ruthless…"

"Yes he has," Rose said. "We simply never saw it."

Rose reluctantly ate the food they placed in front of her. The food didn't seem to have any taste. She choked it down just so the two of them would stop hounding her. Syuveil joined them shortly after. With a large book in his hand, he sat next to Belzac and placed the tome on the seat between them.

"Decided to come out of that prison cell, Syuveil?" said Zieg with an attempt at humor.

"It most certainly is not a prison cell," he said with great distaste. "It is a library, a source of knowledge for all those who wish to learn and exercise the mind."

Belzac made snoring noises that seemed to shake the table. They chuckled as Syuveil waved him off, calling him a, "Big Baboon."

"Anyway," Syuveil continued, "I didn't come out just to get made fun of. I met with Diaz and he wants me to gather everyone for a meeting in one hour."

They went silently immediately, as if waiting for him to elaborate. When he shrugged, they sighed with annoyance."

"He never wants to meet with us," said Zieg with surprise, "only with Rose."

"I have no idea what this is about if that's what you're thinking," she said quickly as the eyes fell upon her. "I haven't seen him since Damia left."

"Well, that's all. I have to get Shirley and Kanzas," said Syuveil, getting up.

"That's ok, Syuveil," Belzac said, also standing up. "I can get Shirley for you."

"Good. One less trip for me," said Syuveil happily.

"I'll get Kanzas," said Rose to everyone's surprise. "I need to speak with him anyway…"

Zieg looked at her nervously. Syuveil didn't seem to notice as he smiled gratefully. They all left the mess hall and set out for the towers. Syuveil's endless bickering with Belzac kept them entertained as the steep tower stairs came upon them. They separated and Rose and Zieg followed Rose to Kanzas' room.

"You don't have to go with me, you know?" she said.

"I know I don't have to, but I want to," he said, hoping to end it there.

"I'm not going to kill him! I'm just going to give him a stern talking to," she said with a mock smile on her face.

"Well, your form of 'talking to,' can sometimes lead to physical injury…" he said with worry.

They arrived at his door, a smell of horrid incense fuming through the cracks. Rose knocked heavily on the door making Zieg wonder if the door would fly off its hinges. She heard Kanzas grunt and assumed that was the signal for entry. She saw him kneeling before a mantle that was lined with dolls that, she assumed, he knit by himself. He was mumbling words to himself that she could not hear.

"Kanzas," she said, hoping he would just stay the way he was just so she wouldn't see his face. He grunted in acknowledgement. "Diaz wants us to meet him in the HQ in one hour."

"Is that so?" he asked. "I thought you were here to get revenge on me."

"Don't think that didn't occur to me," she threatened holding up her hand, bruised and swollen. "But why should I worry myself with idiocy exhibited by a good-for-nothing swine!"

"Rose!" said Zieg with astonishment.

"Don't come into MY home and insult me!" Kanzas said with annoyance in his voice. "You deserved what you got. It's not my fault you lost control."

"Who lost control?! Look at my hand! And you say I lost control?! HA!" she said now starting to rant.

"It was either your hand or my face. I chose your hand," he said calmly.

"You… YOU…!" Rose shouted as she lunged.

Zieg made to catch her but she was too fast. Kanzas stood, ready for anything. Rose saw this and changed her place. She stopped and grabbed one of the dolls from the mantle on the left wall. Kanzas' face went stark white and Zieg stood there, feet planted in confusion. Rose smiled as Kanzas started to snarl.

"You… give that back!" demanded Kanzas. "I swear, if you do anything to it, I'll…!"

"You'll what?" Rose said strongly. "It's just a doll. What significance can a doll possibly have?"

Kanzas let out a long laugh. It was insane and echoed in their ears even after he stopped. He looked her directly in the eyes.

"That isn't just a doll."

Rose looked at it in her uninjured hand, its lifeless eyes staring up at her. It was a stare that seemed to pierce her very soul.

"That doll," Kanzas said while pointing to it, "represents a single life that I have snuffed out."

As these words processed in her mind, her hand loosened and dropped the doll. It bounced slightly toward Kanzas and he bent over and picked it up.

"All of these dolls, actually," he said placing the doll back in its place, "are representations of the people I have killed."

"That's… that's…" she said in horror.

"It is a belief of mine," he said admiring his work. "I believe that when someone is killed, a piece of their soul is torn from them and stored in the killer." He walked to the other side of the room to look at the rest of his dolls. "So, I knit a doll in the likeness of each person and, 'place,' the shard of soul into it. It is to make sure I don't lose myself."

"It's… disgusting!" Rose said at last. "These… they were people!"

"Yes," he said in agreement, "that is what makes them the most dangerous to kill. They have feelings, thoughts, and even reactions. They are a dangerous thing to assimilate. That is why I place what is left of them inside these dolls… to prevent them from taking me over."

"How can you mock life like this?!" Rose asked in anger and fear. "It's unthinkable!"

"Is it really?" Kanzas said jokingly. "I do not think of it as a mockery of what they once were. I am doing them a favor."

"Doing them a favor? What could this possibly do for them?!" she questioned.

"Ease them through the pain of death," he said simply. "I burn incense to calm them. I put them into dolls because they have nowhere else to go."

"You're a sick," she said finally, "disgusting excuse for a human."

She turned away and made for the door. Zieg watched her pass as he was still planted.

"One hour, right?" Kanzas asked.

Rose stopped and said without turning, "One hour."

She finally left the room leaving Zieg behind with Kanzas.

"Make sure that next time," Kanzas said mockingly, "she doesn't pick a fight with a martial arts master."

Kanzas cackled again as Zieg hurried out of the room, slamming the door shut with a loud thud. He quickly caught up with Rose and remained speechless. When he could finally open his mouth, Rose easily shut him down, "Forget it…"

The hour passed quickly as they waited in the chamber. They didn't know what to expect from this meeting. Diaz only spoke with Rose. So calling all of them was both a shocking and exciting moment. What could Diaz have in store for them? They awaited his arrival with much anticipation. Finally, the door cranked open and Diaz stepped through. He held a large scroll, which Rose could discern as a map. He placed it on the table and looked around. Noticing that everyone was present, he unrolled the map and flattened it onto the table and placed pins at the corners. He looked around again, hoping that someone would ask a question, but no one said anything.

"So," Diaz started, "I have been deliberating with a few colleagues about the future of this army. We had to answer many questions, like, 'Will we wait for the Winglies to find us and destroy us once and for all?' and, 'What do we do now?' Well, let me tell you, the answer to the first is, absolutely not! The second question, however, was much more difficult to answer. Let me assure you that we have come up with a plan that will be a major turning point in this war."

Silence remained all round the table. Again, Diaz hoped for a question, but no one spoke up.

"Before we can enact this plan," he continued, "we need a little, 'insurance.' This is where you come into the picture."

"Finally some action!" exclaimed Kanzas in triumph.

Rose scoffed at his reaction. Of course someone like him would be happy for battle. He could add to his doll collection. She ignored his whoops of joy and continued to listen.

"This is also where our problem arises," Diaz said with disdain. "The Council and I think we need something else to help our efforts, along with your powers of course."

"What have you come up with?" Rose asked.

"We have come up with," he said pausing, "absolutely nothing… We were hoping all of you would come up with something. The Council is still unaware of ALL the powers you may possess, as am I. I also have a sneaking suspicion that none of you know the full extent of your powers either."

Everyone's feet shifted as if the floor had moved suddenly. It was true. They had never used all of their powers and may even have undiscovered abilities.

"But," Diaz continued, "we must not let this discourage us. That is why The Council and I have decided to allow you all to come up with something. Put your heads together and come up with a plan that plays to all of your advantages and to the disadvantages of the Winglies."

"That's it?" Shirley asked with annoyance. "You expect us to come up with something? We don't even know where we're going!"

"I could tell you that, but would it make a difference?" he asked. "You know the characteristics of a Wingly city. You have studied their structures for years. You should be able to reach the Bridge while wearing a blindfold!"

"We'll need more information!" she demanded. "How do we come up with a plan if we don't know anything?!"

"That is all I can disclose to you at this time," Diaz said calmly. "I suggest you take as much time as needed. Come see me when you have your plan." Without another word, Diaz left through the wooden door to the center of the headquarters.

They walked through the dirt and sand toward the mess hall. Their brains rattled with possibilities. They spewed any ideas they had only to take them back with unsatisfied reactions. They sat around a large table and continued sending ideas to and fro.

Several hours passed and they had come up with nothing. Shirley and Belzac were talking animatedly, Kanzas was playing with his fingers and Zieg was lightly slamming his forehead against the wooden table. Rose also felt the need to do this, but she thought she must exhaust all other methods of thinking before trying out Zieg's new brainstorming method. She stared at her bruised and swollen hand, hoping that the swelling would go down before long. Soldiers were coming and going, eating their meals and having fun with their comrades. She focused in upon the cooks carrying hunks of meat from pot to pot dropping some into each one. Her eyes fell upon Zieg once more, who was now playing with his ears, his forehead still against the warm wood. Rose looked on questioningly. He finally noticed she was staring at him.

"What?" he asked.

"What are you doing?" she asked in turn.

"I'm trying to think," he replied.

"Yeah, I can see that…" she said jokingly.

Zieg chuckled and continued his odd ritual. The others had noticed as well and shook their heads, thinking he may have cracked under the pressure. Shortly after, he screamed at the top of his lungs, "AHA!" causing everyone in the hall to jump. He shook his head and went back to his previous method.

"Ok, that's enough," Rose said.

"At least I'm trying to think!" Zieg said sneaking a glance at everyone else. "Besides, what can we do but transform and start beating them to death?"

"We can do it more efficiently and effectively," replied Shirley with sarcasm. "Especially if we use you as a decoy so we can easily take out the city."

"Me, the decoy?" Zieg asked with shock. "But that would be…"

"Suicide, yes. Don't worry, though," she continued with a grin on her face, "you're death will defeat the entire Wingly race!"

Everyone laughed again, but the familiar silence took over. Minutes seemed like hours until they decided to start from scratch.

"What do we know?" Rose asked.

"Nothing," Shirley scowled.

"That's not true. We know that we are mounting an attack against the Winglies. What do we know about them?" Rose asked again.

"They have high physical prowess, advanced magical skills, extremely powerful weaponry," the list seemed to go on and on until Zieg finally finished, "Oh yeah, and they can fly."

"And what can we do?" she asked.

"Just about all of that too," Zieg said.

"So, why do you think we can't beat them?" she finally posed.

"Well, if you haven't noticed already, there are only sev-," Zieg paused, "six of us and about two-hundred-fifty-thousand of them…"

"Good answer…" she said feeling a drop in confidence. "What else do we know?"

"The attack is on a city," Belzac said. "We should expect this to be an aerial battle."

"Hm, what else?" Rose asked.

"Their structures are heavily guarded and some even have artillery," Belzac said, his voice trailing off. "How can we get passed that?"

"That's what we need to figure out!" Rose exclaimed. "We know all about the guts of the cities and we can handle that, so how to we get into it?"

"If I may," Kanzas said to everyone's surprise, "I see this very same situation in martial arts. You expose a weakness by attacking the points around it. Once the weakness is apparent, you strike."

"What… did you have in mind?" Rose said swallowing her pride.

They discussed the plan repeatedly until each of them had it committed to memory. The sun had already set and the moon showed bright in its usual spot in the sky, like it did every night. They agreed to wait until the morning before telling Diaz about their plan. They walked together toward their towers. Each of them entered their own rooms to sleep after a hard day of thought. Rose and Zieg were the last ones to reach their rooms. Zieg walked her to her room and wished her a goodnight. She smiled and closed her door. Tomorrow was an important day. They were about to show the Council what they could do. This may finally give them reason enough to use their powers in the struggle against the Wingly forces.

Rose fell onto her bed, her eyelids heavy and sleep coming on quickly. She was physically and mentally exhausted. Things were about to change for her, and not just for her, but for the entire human race. She may have been excited to enact their surprise attack, but she couldn't prevent the doubt from sneaking into her thoughts. Not only was the plan completely last minute, but it also was thought up by a madman. Although she didn't like Kanzas, she had a small amount of trust in him. She knows what side he is on and that is good enough for her. She shut her eyes and listened to the slight clinking of the night patrol's armor before drifting off into the world of dreams.

The marble hall lit up with a green light from the gnarled tree stump in the center of the room. There stood a grey and sinister man, peering into the light, reading inscriptions, deciphering code, and planning. The large wooden doors shook loudly as a knocker was pushed against it three times. A stream of white light broke the greenish gloom as an emissary entered carrying a parcel. Behind the emissary, another large man entered the hall. They approached the gnarled stump and knelt before the grey man. Light was immediately restored to the room and the slime green light vanished.

"Have news of my sister reached our ears?" questioned Melbu.

The large Wingly stood up and grabbed the parcel from the emissary, who promptly bowed and left.

"I'm afraid not, My Lord. She has eluded us, probably for good," said the Wingly.

"No use crying over spilt milk. She wouldn't dare cross her brother. What of the project?" he asked.

The Wingly opened the parcel and looked it over quickly.

"The project is coming along nicely. We have successfully bred one and can easily breed several more within the next twenty-four hours," said the Wingly happily.

"Excellent. You have all done well. As for execution of the project…" he paused.

"Execution, sir?" the Wingly wondered.

"I want no less than a dozen of these creatures at each of the cities the humans haven't touched yet, even the ones they don't know about yet," Melbu commanded.

"A dozen?! My Lord, I beg you, give us more time! We may have bred them, but we have reason to believe that they aren't domesticated yet!" exclaimed the Wingly.

"What reason? Who are you to say what we can and cannot do? You aren't even head of the project. I wish to speak with the project head," he demanded.

"Our reason, sir, is that they have killed a few of us, they do not know that we are their masters yet!" he explained.

"Bring me the project head," Melbu demanded again.

"Yes, sir, which piece of his body do you wish to speak to? It may take a few minutes to find them all, but rest assured, we'll get the one you want," said the Wingly jokingly.

Melbu glared at him and he apologized immediately.

"I said I want NO LESS than a dozen of these creatures at each of our cities. Is that clear?" he said in an ominous tone.

"U-understood. I will pass on the message right now. The Virage will be ready for distribution by tomorrow night," said the Wingly disheartened.

The Wingly left the room and the light left it once again. The green glow filled it again and Melbu continued to plan his great empire.

Rose got up the next morning, nervous and panting. The thoughts of the previous night brought her nightmares that could rival all others. In one, she felt that her words wouldn't come and she was pelted with stones. In another, she was climbing a ladder and the person in front of her kicked at her hands and she fell hundreds of stories.

She wiped her brow clean of sweat and splashed water onto her face. She held onto the sides of the stone water basin and leaned against it. She stared at her reflection in the clear water, surveying her long black hair and oddly dark violet eyes. Hoping that everything would go as planned, she dressed herself and left her room. Everyone but Belzac was standing at the bottom of the towers waiting for her.

"Belzac said to meet him there," Shirley said quickly. "He had something to speak to Diaz about."

They all walked to the headquarters to give their plans to the Council. Never had Rose been so nervous, even before battle. As she moved closer to her destination, she couldn't shake the feeling that she was about to ruin it for everyone. This is their one chance to prove themselves and yet the lives of five others are in her hands. Before she knew it, they were standing in front of the large wooden doors. She pressed forward and looked back. They gave her encouraging looks, trying to ease the moment. She pursed her lips and opened the doors. As she walked in, she immediately noticed raised voices. Belzac was talking animatedly to Diaz who was shaking his head very fast for someone in his condition. She walked forward and cleared her throat with an, "Ahem!" to alert them to her presence. Belzac turned sharply and Diaz nodded accordingly.

"We'll get back to this later, Belzac," Diaz said at last.

"But I want to visit him! I want to make sure he's alive and well…" Belzac trailed off.

"You'll get your chance, but we have a great mobilization in progress and we need all of our trump cards active and focused," Diaz said with finality.

Belzac shrugged and saluted Diaz before leaving. As he passed Rose, she gave her a heavy pat on the back that almost knocked her over. Diaz stood up after the heavy doors shut behind the giant man. His stature was slightly shrunken and he walked with a limp. He wasn't old, but his body didn't care. It fell apart as he remained the same, the price of stress and disease.

"The Council is waiting. It's time," he said without hesitation.

He walked over to another set of doors gilded with iron. The hinges grinded like someone hadn't oiled it in a long time. Inside the room was a large semicircular table along the back wall. Ten people sat around the outside of the table, six men and four women. An eleventh seat in the middle was open for Diaz, Rose assumed. The center of the half-circle was open for speakers, where Rose would be making her speech. As she took her place in the room, Diaz stood behind her and not in his seat. Another man entered the room. He was old, had a long face and his left hand was gloved and, Rose noticed, much smaller than his right. He sat down in the center seat and looked toward Rose. He motioned for her to begin with his good hand. When she opened her mouth, Diaz stepped forward.

"Today, we put forth the motion to use the power of Dragoons in the upcoming invasion of the Wingly city of Zenebatos. Representing for this motion is Dragoon Rose-"

"And I will be representing against the motion!" a smaller, mousy woman on the Council said standing up.

"I was not aware there would be a motion against this. I assumed that if we don't use Dragoons, we don't attack at all," Diaz said taken aback.

"You assumed wrong, Commander. We are going to attack, whether or not we send these people to do all the work," she said smugly.

Rose stepped forward to avoid Diaz getting into a heated battle of words. He retreated quickly and clutched his chest, revealing how heated he was getting. Rose searched for words but her brain was racing faster and faster as the seconds passed. She assumed she took too long as the other woman began to speak.

"I believe these people should not be used in battle. They are too powerful and those with power seek to use it. This use can be horribly misplaced due to the fact that even they don't know the extent of their powers. Also, this leaves them the window to disobey orders which is treason in the Human Military. This power and the ability to use it must be constricted as much as possible to dull any further conflicts that we may have in the future. I propose that we send our human troops to take Zenebatos. We will have our human pride at least," she finished at last.

A few of the Council members mumbled amongst themselves. This made Rose nervous. Whatever these people were talking about, Rose had to change it. Whatever she says now must persuade them that this woman is wrong on all her points. Her words weren't fluent. She thought all she had to do was explain the plan which they had come up with in the previous night, but the Council hadn't even decided on it yet. She took each of the woman's points and tried to turn them in her favor.

"I… No… We believe that the Dragoons should be sent into battle in Zenebatos. It is true that we seek to use our power, but we are still human. We would never try to destroy something that we were part of because that would destroy us all. Too much lies on the Human Race that there is no time to fight over diplomacy. We must take action. Yes, our powers could be beyond our imagination, but we can assure you that they will not be used against you. The human pride you speak of only exists within these walls and within the minds of the soldiers. There is no pride on the battlefield, only death. Are you really proposing to send tens of thousands to their deaths instead of six to our victory?" Rose asked.

The people mumbled in great haste and the woman smiled.

"If the choice is between tens of thousands that I can control and six that have minds of their own, the six are not looking good," she said confidently.

"So, if we do choose to send the soldiers, answer me this. How do you plan to get them into the city? The city floats above ground and, as far as I know, normal humans do not possess the skill of flight. Will you fly them in on eagle's wings?"

The Council laughed and the woman blushed. She quickly thought up a retort.

"We attack with artillery and bring the city down to our level!"

"Why do that? Why waste money, supplies and time to march our soldiers there simply to drop a city on them?"

"Well-"

"Why not just send six people who can fly and have powers of magic that our foot-soldiers do not to take down the city? My plan has one step while yours has two. Also, the amount of people involved and casualties are kept at an extreme minimum. As far as I'm concerned, my plan is more efficient."

"I-"

"What have you to lose? Even if we fail, you still have several thousand soldiers to back you up. Obviously, this is better than several thousand casualties and only six to guard you."

The Council watched this debate closely. The mousy woman froze as Rose blasted point after point her way. She looked at her fellow members and back to Rose. She lowered her head and sat down, accepting her defeat. The head of the Council finally spoke. His voice was very strained and easily noticeable in a crowd. He had a perfect speaking voice, loud yet still gentle.

"Let me propose something else… How about sending our soldiers with a Dragoon overseer?"

"The problem still stands. Should the soldiers attack from below and the single Dragoon from above? If the soldiers fire artillery, the Dragoon may be hit. If the city falls, the soldiers are at risk. I want to save as many human lives as possible and still have a chance for victory and my plan is the only conceivable way," Rose said with confidence.

The old man nodded in agreement. He grabbed his crippled hand and mumbled something to himself. He stood up at last after several moments of silence and announced his verdict.

"The motion for Dragoon mobilization has been accepted. The six Dragoons will be sent into battle with the Winglies in the Law City of Zenebatos. This Council is adjourned."

The old man left the room followed by the other Council members. The woman Rose debated with quickly shuffled across the floor, through the door and into her chambers. Rose turned to Diaz who was smiling widely. He led her into the previous room where he sat in his usual seat. He let out a sigh, as if his legs were tired from just ten minutes of standing.

"Well done. Now, since you already have a plan, we can mobilize quickly. Three days should be enough time to rest up and get supplies together. Tell the others as soon as possible," Diaz commanded.

"I will… Are you okay?" she asked curiously.

"Er… I'm fine… Just fine…" he said sadly.

He gave her a reassuring look, but she saw right through it. He is definitely not feeling well, not well at all. Without a fight, she left the room through the big double doors to speak to five curious faces. As she emerged, they stood up and looked at her with questioning looks. Rose let out a sigh of relief and nodded. The whole group exhaled simultaneously and a small cheer of victory broke out. Rose wiped sweat from her brow and decided to sit down. Everyone followed her example and sat along with her.

"So? Do we fight?" Zieg asked eagerly.

"We fight!" Rose said at last.

Belzac did a fist pump and almost hit Kanzas who looked shocked by the sudden movement of air near his face. Syuveil shook his head and tucked away a note he had written to himself. Rose spoke again.

"It wasn't easy. It turns out that we weren't supposed to explain the plan to the Council, but convince them to let us go at all. I had to debate with this woman who didn't seem to like me at all… But, all in all, we're going to Zenebatos to fight. Diaz said we have three days to prepare," Rose finished.

"We really don't need anything… we should just go now," pushed Kanzas.

"We need rest," Shirley said coolly. "We need to be at the top of our game if the six of us are going to take down an entire city. What do we know about the city?"

"Other than the basic structure of Wingly Cities, nothing," said Zieg with much disdain.

"Actually…" Rose started. The other looked toward her. "They did say something about it being, 'The Law City.'"

"That's a big piece of information. It opens up a lot of possibilities," Shirley said happily. "It could mean that the city is where their legislation resides. Imagine what information on other cities we could salvage from records! That's priceless to us!"

"This could be fun…" Kanzas said smugly.

"So, three days to rest and then we're off to change the future… sounds incredible!" Rose said with a smile.

They stood up and walked toward their towers where they would begin their time of rest. Rose entered her room and prepared herself for a well deserved nap. She splashed water on her face as she did earlier and laid herself into her bed. She stared at the ceiling, hands clasped behind her head, following the grooves she had followed many times before. She felt her eyes get heavy and start to close without any help from her. Her mind drifted from topic to topic and they added themselves to her odd dreams. She awoke with a start to a knock on her door. She rubbed her face to get the tired look off of it and responded with a, "Come in!" Zieg entered a moment later and sat in her chair.

"How goes the rest of your day, Rose?" He asked with something evidently on his mind.

"It hasn't started yet…" she said with some annoyance in her voice.

"Oh, well, I just didn't know what to do with my spare time, so I came here…" he said trailing off.

Rose sensed the awkwardness in the air. Something was on his mind and it was clouding the atmosphere in the room.

"Is there something you wanted to tell me?" Rose asked hesitantly.

"Er… Yes, actually, I did," he said. "I wanted to talk about… us."

Rose was taken aback. She looked at the floor tiles searching for words to say. Instead, Zieg spoke for her.

"I've been thinking… We've been together for a long time and I can't deny that I have feelings for you that I don't seem to have for anyone else…" he said breathing deeply.

Rose felt her heart jump. Her breathing began to increase dramatically. Blood rushed to her face and she felt hot. Her eyes fluttered from tile to tile without much thought. She looked at Zieg and noticed he was doing the same to the tiles below his feet.

"I've never felt this before, Rose… I can't shake it," he said again. "I can't…"

"I-"

"We've never really spoken about it, but I know I feel it from you… sometimes…"

"Are you-"

"I guess what I'm trying to say is…" he froze on his words.

Rose knew what he was talking about. There have been several moments where she just wanted Zieg around her. Other times, she felt like she wanted something more. This frightened her more than anything. The only people she loved were her father and brother and they were taken from her a long time ago. Even Damia was closer to her than Zieg was at times.

"I'm trying to say that… I love you, Rose," Zieg said standing.

Now, it was out. She had dreaded him saying it, because she had no response. She looked at him for what seemed ages. His stare never left hers as she searched and searched for something to say.

"I know this is tough to grasp, but it was eating me up inside and I wanted to get it out before the battle," he said speaking in her place. "I wouldn't have been able to live with myself if I hadn't told you."

"I just… I just don't know what to say!" she said. "This is so sudden… and on the eve of battle,"

"I knew it! I'm sorry. I knew I shouldn't have brought it up. You don't need this right now."

He made a motion to leave but Rose stopped him. She turned him around so she could see his face.

"There's nothing to be sorry about," she said. "I… I have the same feelings for you."

Zieg's face lit up and she smiled. Rose had never seen him so happy. His bright blue eyes glistened in the small amount of sun coming in through the window. His blonde hair blew in the draft like a field of grain. Neither of them had ever felt like this, and each other was all they could think about.

The three days flew by like it was an hour. They dreaded the time they had to leave, not because it was a battle, but they had to prove themselves in front of the Council and all of the other soldiers. She fully dressed herself and suited up. She quickly left her room and met everyone at the bottom of the stairs to the towers. They only brought one meal's ration of food for each of them so as to not go into battle on an empty stomach. They made their way to the headquarters where Diaz was waiting for them in front of the doors. He sat in a chair that was brought out to him from inside the building. When he saw them, he quickly stood and, for a man in his condition, swiftly moved over to them. He shook each of their hands.

"Good luck to all of you. Zenebatos is in the east. It is past Snowfield and hovering above barren mountains," Diaz informed them.

"Understood," Rose said.

"Excellent. I need you all you to be on your guard. These Winglies have some terrible tactics up their sleeves, who knows what they'll do?" Diaz said with a stern smile.

In this meeting, several soldiers and Council members had gathered around them, waiting for them to embark on their journey to battle. They checked each other's supplies, making sure they had their weapons and food rations. They walked to a more open space while being followed by the people who watched them before. Rose glanced at Zieg and he glanced back. They smiled at each other and stood in formations they had discussed. Now that they were six, it was two vertical parallel lines of three people in each line. Rose was in the middle of the line on the left behind Zieg and in front of Belzac. Kanzas was in the middle of the line of the right behind Syuveil and in front of Shirley. With a flash of light, their colors filled the air as their armors changed to that of Dragoons. They heard people awe as they lifted off the ground and gained momentum toward the east. The next second, they were gone, flying through the air, clouds whipping by their faces leaving water droplets behind.

They flew over the storm clouds that were dropping snow onto the Snowfield below. Lightning jumped from cloud to cloud and occasionally to the ground. They reached a part that cleared and they saw the field below. It was completely covered with, at least, twenty feet of snow and a large amount of it was hanging off the edge of a cliff. One small noise or movement could send hundreds of tons of snow off the cliff and do who knows what. They continued to fly until they noticed the water below was unfrozen. They were getting closer to their objective and decided to land. There was a light layer of snow on the bank of the pond where they set up a small camp. It was still very early morning. They had traveled well over three-hundred miles in less than two hours which was the fastest they had ever traveled in their lives.

"Those days of rest really did me good," said Belzac stretching. "I was really overworked lately."

"So overworking includes massive amounts of eating now?" asked Shirley jokingly.

"Oh, ha ha ha, that's very funny," Belzac said with sarcasm.

"Enough. Let's eat before we go any further," Syuveil suggested.

"Why?" asked Zieg. "You'll most likely throw it up in the middle of battle anyway. I think we should save it for after… sort of a victory meal."

They all mostly nodded in agreement while Belzac reluctantly put his food away. They took off again and continued to head east, where the city of Zenebatos waited for them. As the sun began to rise, the city became visible in the distance. Excitement brewed in their bodies. Rose noticed some of them were getting jittery. She looked over at Kanzas who was beginning to pick up speed and gaining on Syuveil's feet. Suddenly, Kanzas took off at an amazing speed and easily passed both Syuveil and Zieg who headed the lines. They all picked up speed to catch up as to not spoil their plans. The city was fast approaching and their nerves were quickly climbing. As they were no less than three miles away, Zieg called for a halt and they all stopped.

"Do any of you notice something… odd about this city?" Zieg asked.

Rose looked toward the city and tried to see what he noticed. She shook her head as she scanned the entire structure. It was a light brown and quite small for a city. Most of the city lay below the top layer, which is strange due to the fact that many Wingly structures tend to have towers. There was no movement and no…

"There are no defenses whatsoever…" Rose added quickly. "No Winglies, no artillery, no one at all seems to be in the city."

"Well, that does seem rather odd," Shirley said.

"I don't care! I just want to hurt something!" Kanzas said impatiently.

Rose shook her head and continued to look. She thought she saw something move around a pillar and uttered a sound. They looked at her and then tried to see what she was staring at.

"What is it?" Syuveil asked nervously.

"I thought I saw something… I guess not," Rose said.

"Let's survey the city a little more and then we'll head in," Zieg suggested.

They split into groups of three and went around the city several times before meeting again and speaking their information aloud.

"Nothing," Zieg said.

"Nothing at all," Shirley added.

"Is it a trap?" Belzac wondered.

"It most likely is, but, considering the Winglies, I think they would have sprung it right about now," Syuveil said.

They waited a few seconds and nothing happened. They drew closer to the city making sure that they were cautious of every move they made. They drew closer and closer until they reached the city's edge and finally landed. They kept looking around, expecting something terrible to jump out and attack them, but nothing came. They walked in a loosely assembled group around on the city floor. They came down, what seemed like an alley between two small buildings. As they turned the corner, something whizzed by at high speeds. They jumped as several more of the same came running by without noticing them. They looked at each other and walked into the lane of traffic. Several more came by and stopped in front of them. They were small and white creatures that didn't seem to have a face. They were moving but didn't have life. One of them edged closer to them and spoke in a robotic voice that had to have been automatic. "GUIDE LAPTO: LAW 339: USE BY NON-WINGLIES OF SHOPS IS PROHIBITED!"

The white creatures pushed past them with great speed and continued to travel through the skinny lane of travel. They all looked at each other questioningly.

"What's going on here?" Shirley asked.

"This is why they call it the Law City!" Syuveil started. "This is where they make laws, ALL of their laws. And, to think they were so powerful, they made this city self-sustaining. No wonder no Winglies are here, they don't need to be!"

"There has to be someone here," Rose said quickly. "They can't just leave their city unguarded."

Another small Guide Lapto bumped into Rose's leg and she bent down to see what happened. The Lapto seemed so small and so insignificant. It sang its song, just like the other did. "GUIDE LAPTO: LAW 666: INVASION BY HUMANS SHALL BE HINDERED BY THE PLACEMENT OF MONSTERS!"

Rose's stomach plummeted. Suddenly, an alarm sounded throughout the entire city. They looked around for anything that was attracted to the alarm. Sweeping noises were heard from all directions. They were all looking, trying to find the source of the noise.

"This is bad," Zieg said. "Very bad…"

Rose decided to fly upward to get out of such a confined place. What she saw sent shivers down her spine. Several large grey beasts were floating around them. They each had clawed hands, longs strings of flesh that resembled hair flowing off their heads and large, solid, black eyes that seemed like endless dark skies. They were surrounded by these creatures, nowhere to go.

"Very, VERY bad…" Zieg added.

"We need to do something… before they do," Rose said in a whisper.

She looked from gap to gap and noticed they were all too small for all of them to fit through. She quickly counted and came up with twelve, two for every one of them. Rose was filled with fear, and she felt the vibes from everyone else feeling their fear as well. One of them made a sudden move and before Rose did anything, Kanzas lunged out and tackled one of the creatures. The other creatures responded in kind and came at them. Rose took her sword and swiped the air, cutting the face of one of them. It let out a scream like metal grinding on stone. She looked at everyone else, making sure they were all right. She noticed Kanzas had already killed the one he attacked, still pummeling the dead body, spraying himself with blue blood. Zieg removed one of their arms while another snuck up on him. Rose flew toward it and sliced its gut. Zieg looked at her appreciatively and flew toward Belzac who was holding three at bay with his battle axe. Shirley fired an arrow into the eye of a creature, partially blinding it.

Kanzas flew in and battled with another two, easily dispatching them with bone crushing blows to the head. He tore them limb from limb, littering the ground with their body parts. Zieg killed another with a flaming chop to the forehead and Syuveil was jabbing another with his spear. Belzac cleaved one and then another in half in two fluid motions. Rose killed the creature that Shirley blinded and went into battle with another. She took off one of its arms and used her abilities of darkness to obliterate most of its lower half. As it fell from the sky, particles of light were forming at its mouth. Rose stared as the light grew and as she was about to attack again, the creature fired its weapon. She flew out of the way just in time to watch the solid beam of light go by her face. She watched the beam run its course and kill one of the creatures' own. The beam left a clear hole in the head of its companion and both bodies fell to the ground below.

Syuveil managed to kill his foe while Shirley dispatched the twelfth and final creature. Panting, Rose flew to the ground and sat down. The others followed her, looking around to see if there were any more of them. She noticed Kanzas smiling as he floated downward and wiped it off his face when he landed.

"What the hell were those things?" Belzac asked.

"I have no idea…" Shirley said bewildered. "I've never seen those things before. The Winglies must have found a new species."

"Or created one…" Rose added.

"But, that's impossible!" Zieg thought aloud.

"Well, what are those Guide Laptos then? Cheap imitations of life designed specifically to create laws," Rose started. "Why can't they do the same, only they were designed specifically for battle?"

"Good point…" Zieg said.

"At least I got to hurt something," Kanzas said out of place.

Everyone looked at him strangely. He shrugged and looked around.

"What now?" Rose asked.

"I guess we go back. There doesn't seem to be anything else here that's dangerous," Zieg responded.

"But what do we say? The city is harmless because there are no Winglies?" Syuveil added.

"We can't say that," Shirley said. "You have to understand that just because there are no Winglies now does not mean there couldn't be any in the future."

In the midst of conversation, Rose noticed a Guide Lapto bumping into her leg. She looked down at it and felt a strange anger.

"WHAT?!" She shouted.

The Lapto jumped back a bit and recited its programmed message. "GUIDE LAPTO: LAW 703: THE LAW PROHIBITS NON-WINGLIES FROM GOING TO THE SIGNET SPHERE!" She looked at it questioningly.

"Signet Sphere? What's that?" She asked it.

The Lapto didn't answer and simply sped off down the normal lane of traffic. She looked at everyone else and they responded with the same look.

"I guess our next objective is the Signet Sphere," she said to them.

They nodded in agreement and they finally took off from their few minutes of rest. They

flew in a tight group, making sure to keep their eyes open to any threats. They came to a large domed building that took up much of the space in the city. They landed in front of it and saw huge doors that were covered in velvet drapes.

"They're not very good at hiding important things," Zieg said jokingly.

"Well, they have a law specifically pointing out that we can't go in, so I'm going to assume that it must be pretty important," Belzac noted.

They pushed at the door and it didn't budge. They all stood back as Belzac grunted and took a running start toward the door. He rammed his large body into the doors and they flung open revealing a marble room with walls and walls of books. Syuveil ran forward and chuckled to himself. His Dragoon armor dissipated and he grabbed a book from one of the shelves.

"It's a library," Zieg pointed out.

"It's all in the Wingly language," Syuveil said. "I've seen these runes before! This is amazing!"

"That's strange…" Rose started. "All of these books are here, yet no one is here to read them. Keep your guard up."

"I can read this! It talks about some strange topics," Syuveil told them. "It talks about the Winglies themselves, the Moon, even us!"

"The Moon? Why that?" Zieg asked.

"Apparently, the Winglies…" Syuveil started but was cut off. Everyone stared at him, his eyes wide. He dropped the book and looked down. A sword was through his gut. Blood dripped into the book he had dropped, staining the runes and ruining them forever. Syuveil's eyes rolled upward and he fell forward into the pool of his blood. Standing behind him was a small man who preferred to walk on all fours. She grabbed the sword from Syuveil's body and ran to the back of the room to where two other figures stood. The little man cheered excitedly.

"I got one, Kubila! I got one!" He yelled repeatedly.

"You are trespassing on sacred ground against the law of Zenebatos. We are the executioners, Kubila, Vector, and Selebus. You have been found guilty of all laws and are sentenced to death by execution," the tall hooded Kubila said without remorse.

Rose stared at Syuveil's lifeless body, his blood covering the floor. She saw Kubila remove a book from his cloak and begin to read. The room began to shine, books burning and the marble cracking. She looked behind them and saw the door beginning to close.

"They're trying to trap us!" Rose shouted.

Rose was torn between two choices, fight or run. She looked back at the door and it was half closed already. All of the books were burned and now the shelves caught fire. The heat was rising in the room at a drastic rate. Sweat poured down her face and her skin was starting to burn. She gasped as something grabbed onto her leg and looked down to notice Syuveil in his Dragoon armor, still bleeding profusely.

"Go!" he yelled. "I'll take c-care of it!"

Rose felt tears well up and she nodded with reluctance. She grabbed as many arms as she could and pulled everyone out of the room, leaving Syuveil behind in the burning room. They snuck through at the last second and took off into the sky. They flew with great speed out of the city and into the western sky. They heard a huge explosion and turned to see the city. The entire city shook and many of the buildings crumbled. The city tilted slightly and stone bricks fell from its edge. Smoke rose from its center and all was quiet. The plume of smoke rose higher and higher and dispersed into the surrounding air. Everyone was panting and hanged their heads. They had just lost one of their own.

"He… he gave himself up for us," Zieg said sadly.

"He was dying," Kanzas said. "That's how I would want to go. If I can't fight anymore, I will end it right then and there."

"Let's get moving," Rose said.

They looked at her with surprise. They were mourning and she wanted to leave.

"We don't want to be here if that smoke cloud attracts more Winglies," She pointed out in monotone.

She began to move west toward Vellweb. She knew everyone was sad about the death of their friend, but she didn't want his death to be in vain if they were careless. The land passed beneath them at great speed. Thoughts about Syuveil's last few moments passed through Rose's head, from the books about humans, Winglies and the Moon to the Signet Sphere. What were these correlations? What were those creatures that ambushed them? It seems that there was more to Winglies than they originally thought. What were they up to? Rose pondered as they flew home, where their life continued and the lives of those lost moved onward to where no one neither could nor would want to go.


End file.
